The Beauty of Commitment - Ruth 1:1-22
BTBC - April 21, 2013
There is power in commitment. Let me show you a short video clip from the movie, “The Fellowship of the Rings” (show video). What did you think of Sam when you saw that video clip? Weren’t you impressed? Didn’t you wish you had a friend like that? How do you think Frodo felt when Sam made that declaration of commitment? There’s something about loyalty and commitment that enables us to keep going. When we know that someone is committed to us, that they will never leave us or forsake us, that enables us to keep going, even when we’re facing the hardest obstacles. That’s the power of commitment.
This morning we’re going to begin looking at beautiful love story. It’s the book of Ruth. But before we dive into the story, we must first paint a picture of the setting. Take a look at verse one (read vs. 1a). This story was written during the time when the judges ruled. I don’t know if you know much about the time of judges. The Book of Judges, that is placed in the Bible right before the Book of Ruth, tells about the events that took place during that period. The time of the judges covers the period of history after the Israelites entered into the promised land, under the leadership of Joshua until the choosing of the first king, King Saul. During this time, the Israelites fell into a cycle of sin and idolatry, until God allowed the nations to attack them and oppress them. Then they cried out to the Lord for help and He delivered them by raising up judges like Deborah, Gideon, and Samson. But after they had peace for a while, the Israelites would fall back into sin and the pattern would be repeated. The last verse in the Book of Judges summarizes the spiritual state of the nation. Judges 21:25 says: “In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit.” People were without spiritual or even effective civil leadership. The land had become lawless with everyone doing as they pleased. It is in this setting that we find a family in distress. Look at verses one and two (read verses). The story zeroes in on one family living in Bethlehem. There is the husband, Elimelech, the mother, Naomi and their two boys, Mahlon and Killion. I think this story can teach us four important spiritual lessons about loyalty and commitment.
The first lesson is this: Follow God, not food. In verse one we learn that there was a famine in the land. So what did Elimelech’s family decide to do? They decided to leave the land and go to Moab. That makes sense doesn’t it? There’s no food, there’s a drought, and maybe another country has something to eat. But whether it made sense or not, in human judgement, what do you think God thought of their decision? Well first, let’s consider what were they leaving. Was it only a home, a place to live? No, it was the land, the promised land. This was Canaan, the land that God promised to give to Abraham and his descendants. It was the place chosen for God’s people. They had left Egypt, travelled for 40 years through the desert and fought many hard won battles to gain it. It was supposed to be the inheritance for the Israelites forever. And just like that, Elimelech decides to take his family and leave. He was willing to give up his inheritance, and the inheritance of all of his future generations, for what? For food.
And the land wasn’t the only thing that Elimelech and his family were giving up. They were giving up their own people. They were leaving their relatives, their friends, people they loved, and who loved them. People who supported them and who could keep them close to their God. And where were they going? They were going to Moab. These people were the traditional enemies of God. Once they made the move, they would be influenced by the Moabite culture. Their boys would marry Moabite women. Their own identity as Israelites, God’s chosen people, would be diluted and eventually lost. They gave up their own people, for what? For food.
And the worst thing they gave up of all, is they gave up God. Now I’m not saying the family began worshipping idols and renounced their faith, but they were running away from God. You see in the Old Testament, God worship was tied to a certain place, to the place where the ark of covenant was. That’s where the tabernacle of God was. That’s where the Israelites had to go up and make regular sacrifices. That’s where they participated in the annual feasts and celebrations. This family was turning their backs on many of the commandments and requirements of God. When they chose to run off to Moab, they were choosing to run away from God. And they chose to give up their God for what? For food.
And this wasn’t the only time that Naomi chose to follow food. When Elimelech and her boys died, Naomi decided to return to Israel. Did she decide to go back because she was convicted of her sin and wanted to repent? Did she go back because she wanted to get closer to God? Verse 6 tells us the reason why (read verse). Why did Naomi choose to go back to Israel? It was because of food. She was following food.
Now today, in our situation, we don’t really worry too much about food. People don’t often starve in Canada. But we do definitely worry about money. And for some of us we follow money wherever it leads. How often are our decisions shaped not by spiritual issues, but by material necessities? We take a job because we can make better money. It doesn’t matter that we have to travel half way across the country or that we have to work 70 hours a week. As long as we have a job and make good money, that’s the only thing that matters. Even though that job might destroy our health, our families and our spiritual lives, we still choose to go that way.
Now is food important? Of course it is. It’s essential for life. But there is something more important than food. When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness do you remember what the first temptation was? He was fasting for 40 days and Jesus was hungry. And the devil told him to make the stones around him into bread. Remember how Jesus answered? “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” There are more important things than food. If we say we believe in God, then we need to show it by obeying Him, even when the situation seems hopeless. We need to trust that God will provide for all that we need as we obey Him. Jesus said in Matthew 6:31-33: “So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
One of the biggest struggles I had deciding to go on the mission field was money. I had a family with three young children. It was my responsibility to provide for them. How could I ever quit my job and then rely on God to place it on people’s hearts to support us financially, not just so we could survive, but so we would have enough money to fly overseas and live and work in a foreign culture? But I believed that it was what God wanted us to do, so we decided to follow God, and not food. And do you know what? God did provide. And I wouldn’t trade those years in Papua New Guinea for any other period of my life. God always keeps His promises. If we seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, then all of these things will be given to us as well.
The first spiritual lesson we can glean from this chapter is this: Follow God, not food. The second lesson we learn is this: Don’t blame God for our bad choices. After Elimelech and his family moved to Moab, tragedy struck. Look at verses 4 and 5 (read verses). We’re not told how these men died, but within 10 years of moving to their new home, only Naomi was left of the original family. They tried to run away from starvation, but they found death waiting for them.
Now understandably Naomi was heartbroken. But what does she do? Who does she blame? Take a look at the end of verse 13 and verses 20-21 (read verses). It’s clear who Naomi blames. She points the accusing finger directly at God. In Naomi’s mind, God has it out for her. Her family left Israel full, with her husband and two healthy boys, and she was returning with nothing, other than a foreign daughter-in-law. She is very clear in her understanding why this all happened. The Lord’s hand is against her. God has afflicted her and brought misfortune against her. Now what do you think about Naomi’s analysis? Was she right in thinking that God was responsible for her calamity and loss? Was she right in thinking that God was against her? I think Naomi was partly right. The entire book of Ruth is underlined by the idea that God is control. Things do not happen by chance. Events are orchestrated by God. So in one sense I think Naomi was right, that God was in control and had allowed the deaths of the men in her life.
But Naomi was only partly right. It is true that God was in control of the circumstances, but He was not the cause of her circumstances. He was not the one at fault, or the one to blame. This tragedy was the direct result of the family’s decision to leave Israel and go to Moab. As we’ve already seen, when the family decided to run away from Israel, they were also running away from God. And there are consequences for disobeying God. I’ve recently read through the book of Deuteronomy in my devotional times. In Deuteronomy 28, Moses lays out very clearly the blessings that come from obeying God as well as the curses that happen when people choose to disobey.
Deuteronomy 28:15-19 lists the curses that will come if people disobey God: “However, if you do not obey the Lord your God and do not carefully follow all his commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come upon you and overtake you: You will be cursed in the city and cursed in the country. Your basket and your kneading trough will be cursed. The fruit of your womb will be cursed, and the crops of your land, and the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks. You will be cursed when you come in and cursed when you go out.”
God may have in His sovereignty allowed Elimelech, Mahlon and Kilion to die, but He was not at fault. Their deaths came as the result of disobedience to God. Blaming God for the consequences of our sinful choices is like a jailed bank robber blaming the police, judge and prison guards for his predicament. Yes, the police captured him and the judge convicted him and the guards keep him in confinement, but the blame for his incarceration, lies squarely on his shoulders. He robbed a bank and broke the law. That’s the real cause for his problems.
And another thing Naomi was wrong about was that God was against her. God wasn’t against Naomi, but was taking her out of disaster, failure and loss, and turning her mourning into laughter and her sorrow into joy. I know I’m giving away the end of the story, but if you read the Book of Ruth to the end, you’ll see how God never left this family. Instead He redeemed their desperate situation and brought back life and hope. The family is rebuilt, their land is restored and prosperity comes again. Even though Naomi may be running back to Israel, to the land of God, for the wrong reasons, to get food, she was still coming back to God. And the Lord took that terrible situation and redeemed it. I know it isn’t written in the text, but I think that maybe, God brought these disasters in Naomi’s life to finally turn her away from her headlong rush into destruction. These deaths uprooted her from the foreign country where she had decided to settle, and turned her back home where she belonged. In one sense, the loss she experienced was the vehicle that God used to bring Naomi back to Himself.
I don’t know what you’re experiencing in your life. It may be that you’ve gone through deep loss. Maybe you’ve just lost your job or failed your exam or been turned down for that promotion. Maybe you’ve lost a loved one, or you’re going through a break up, or your children are rebellious and have no respect for you. And maybe in the midst of these circumstances you blame God. You think He has turned against you and has forsaken you. Let me tell you this morning, God sill loves you. He hasn’t given up on you. He wants to restore your hope and joy. Just run to Him, and throw yourself on His mercy. You’ll find out, like Naomi, that God has only good intended for you.
The first spiritual lesson we can glean from this chapter is this: Follow God, not food. The second: Don’t blame God for our bad choices. There is a third spiritual truth we can learn from this passage: Our life can change lives. Look at verses 6 to 10 (read verses). When her two sons died, Naomi decided to go back to Israel because that was the only place where she could find support. Her relatives were there and besides, she heard rumours that the drought was past and there were crops growing and food available. So she set out and her two daughters-in-law went with her. Naomi urged the women to turn back. After all, she wasn’t able to support them. There was no guarantee that they could find help, food and shelter in Israel. It was ten long years. It could be that people back home had forgotten all about her. But both the daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth insisted on going with her. These two women obviously had a good relationship with Naomi. They loved her and were willing to follow her.
Naomi’s relationship with Orpah and Ruth was opposite to how most people think about mother-in-laws. There are many jokes about mothers-in-law and they are all negative. But that’s definitely not how Orpah and Ruth felt about Naomi. In fact they thought so much of her that they were willing to consider leaving all that they knew, their country, their relatives, their friends and their houses, all to be with their mother-in-law. They were willing to strike out into the unknown and start a new life, learn new culture and a new language and a new religion. And there was no guarantee of food, shelter or safety. Why were they willing to even consider such a life change? The only reason that is given in the text is their relationship with Naomi.
They had grown to know and love their mother-in-law. It is obvious that they saw something in her, that impressed them and called them to follow. Even though Naomi had made some bad choices that affected her future deeply, she still was a God worshipper. She still followed and honoured the Lord. As the two women, Orpah and Ruth lived with Naomi, spent time with her, worked with her, shared stories and life with her, they grew to love her and become drawn to her way of life and to her God.
Naomi’s life changed their lives. And our life can have exactly the same effect on the people around us. Why did Naomi impact the lives of her daughters-in-law so much? I think there are two factors. The first is character. Naomi was visibly different from the rest of the people in Moab. She worshipped God and this came through in her actions, words and attitudes. We’re not given a lot of description of how Naomi behaved, but it is safe to assume that her life was so unique and attractive that her daughters-in-law wanted to emulate her. If we want to have an impact on others, then our lives have to be markedly different from those around us. We can’t live like the world and imagine that we will make an impact. But if we really love God with all of our hearts, souls, minds and strength, then people will notice. You know I think we Christians are known as being different in all the wrong ways. We are known as being different for the things that we are against. We are against premarital sex, homosexuality, abortion, drinking, partying, tattoos, loud music, short skirts, against, against, against. Now I’m not saying we shouldn’t be opposed to some of those things, but I am saying, if that’s all we’re known for, then we are not going to be very attractive people.
Instead of being known as being negative and against, wouldn’t it be great if people knew we were different by the positive things we are for? Wouldn’t it be great if people knew we were different because we were thankful people instead of complaining all the time? Do you know that we should be the most thankful people in the world? And better yet, we have Someone to be thankful for. We know that all the good we have comes for the hand of our heavenly Father who loves us. In fact, we are commanded to be thankful. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says: “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Listen to what people talk about at work or school. People complain all the time. They complain about the weather, they complain about their jobs, they complain about how the Leafs played. As Christians we are commanded not to complain. Philippians 2:14-15 says: “Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe”.
Or think about how we handle adversity and setbacks. I’m reminded of the story of Moses and burning bush. Do you remember that? Moses was out in the desert tending sheep and he saw a bush that was on fire. But what amazed him and caught his attention, wasn’t that the bush was burning, it was the fact that the bush was burning and wasn’t consumed. That’s what caught his attention and drew him into the presence of God. Christians, just like everyone else will experience heartache, disappointment, failure and loss. That’s not what’s different. The difference is how we handle the hardships and trials. As Christians, we can endure and not be consumed by them. The reason is we have hope. We believe that there a God who is in control and who has the best interests for us. And we believe that this life isn’t the end of the story.
Character, that’s the first factor that enabled Naomi’s life the change the lives of her daughters-in-law. But there is a second factor, exposure. A big reason Naomi was able to impact Orpah and Ruth so much is because she lived with these younger women. They were in the same family, shared a house, ate together and worked side by side. Over the hours, the days, the months and the years, Naomi’s life infected Orpah and Ruth’s lives. If we want to have an impact on people, then we have to be willing to be with them, to spend time, to live life with them. The place to begin is our own families. If you are a parent, you have a tremendous opportunity to help shape and mould your children. But that doesn’t just happen automatically. Even though we are in the same family, we can neglect to spend time with our kids. Now there has been some debate about whether we should spend quality time versus just regular time. But the answer is that we should spend both. We should look for opportunities to spend intimate one on one times talking with our kids about their issues or look for teachable moments to impart wisdom. But we should also look for times when we can just hang out with our children. Just watching TV with them, or eating meals together, or going for a walk, those all are important. And as we grow older, we see the importance of spending time with our parents. I know my father and mother aren’t Christians, and I know that I need to spend more time with them.
Outside of our immediate family, we need to be aware of who the Lord is calling us to spend time with. It may be that the Lord is directing us to take a co-worker out for a coffee or share a lunch with. Maybe He’s directing you to invite a neighbour over for dinner. Whatever the case, to impact people’s lives takes exposure. I know that is costly, but the results are always worth it. What could be more worthwhile than helping to change to life of another? I love the words of the song “For Good” for the musical, Wicked. Let me play a little of it for you (show video).
The first spiritual lesson we can glean from this chapter is this: Follow God, not food. The second: Don’t blame God for our bad choices. The third: Our life can change lives. The fourth spiritual lesson is this: When we commit ourselves to God, He commits Himself to us. Look at verses 11-15 (read verses).
When Naomi sees her daughters-in-law follow her, she tries to dissuade them. She loves Orpah and Ruth and wants the best for them. She knows that for them to accompany her, they would be facing a very bleak future. Naomi argues that if they went with her, they would have no hope of being married again. She is too old to have any more sons. She argues that even if that happened, it would take too long for the children to grow up and for them to be potential husbands.
Both girls cried, but their actions showed where their hearts were. The text says that Orpah kissed her mother-in-law and then left. However, Ruth clung to Naomi and wouldn't let go. There are two young women in exactly the same situation. One decides to cut her losses and leave. The other decides to remain committed until the end. Verses 16-17 are some of the most beautiful verses in the Bible (read verses). Don't these verses sound something like wedding vows. Last weekend I attended a wedding and the bride and groom repeated vows to each other that sounded very similar to this.
"I take you to be my wedded wife. To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness or in health, to love and to cherish 'till death do us part. And from this day on I pledge you my faithfulness."
There's something beautiful in loyalty and commitment. Steven Curtis Chapman, a well known Christian musician wrote a song about loyalty and commitment that is sung in many weddings today. The song is called, "I Will Be Here", but when Chapman wrote it he had no idea it would become a wedding favourite. He wrote it for his wife during a difficult time in their marriage.
When Chapman and wife Mary Beth married in 1984, they were young but possessed a couple of things that many newly-married folks don’t: a healthy realization that living together wouldn’t be easy and a good role model to follow by observing the strong, spiritually-centered marriage that Steven’s parents had.
But then Chapman's parents decided to end their marriage which affected Steven deeply. He says: "So in the process of that, my parents did end up divorcing, [and] it really shook the foundation of my faith, my ideas of marriage and everything because, again, with my parents, there was a strength there."
With the fears the Chapmans had about the state of their union, Steven wanted to assure his wife that their marriage wouldn’t crumble. "It felt like I needed to drive a stake in the ground again and say to her, ‘No matter how I feel when I wake up tomorrow, no matter how disillusioned we may be at different points of this, I have made this commitment to you, and I will be here when you wake up.’ Because I think there was this real fear in her that said, ‘Wow, if this happened in his parents’ lives, what assurance do we have that this won’t be our story as well?’"
Let me read to you the lyrics of the song:
Tomorrow morning if you wake up and the sun does not appear
I will be here
If in the dark, we lose sight of love hold my hand, and have no fear
'Cause I will be here
I will be here when you feel like being quiet
When you need to speak your mind I will listen
And I will be here when the laughter turns to cryin'
Through the winning, losing and trying we'll be together
I will be here
Tomorrow morning, if you wake up and the future is unclear
I will be here
Just as sure as seasons were made for change; our lifetimes were made for these years
So I will be here
I will be here and you can cry on my shoulder
When the mirror tells us we're older I will hold you
And I will be here to watch you grow in beauty
And tell you all the things you are to me I will be here
I will be true to the promise I have made to you and to the One who gave you to me
Tomorrow morning, if you wake up and the sun does not appear
I will be here
Commitment between two people is something very precious. But when Ruth committed herself to Naomi, she wasn't just committing herself to a person, she was committing herself to God. In choosing to follow Naomi, Ruth was choosing Naomi's God, Yahweh, the God of Israel. When we commit ourselves to another person, there is beauty in the commitment. But when we commit ourselves to God, then something truly miraculous happens. You see in human relationships, it's possible when we commit ourselves to a person, they can choose to not remain faithful or loyal to us. That is the recipe for heartbreak. But when we commit ourselves to God, He always commits Himself to us. And God's commitment is always, stronger, and purer and more enduring than any human love. The truth is no matter how great our commitment and loyalty is to a friend, our wife, our husband, our children, or even to God, we are weak. And too often we fail. We break our promises and our vows. But that's not true about God. His commitment to us is unbreakable. Even when we falter and fail in our commitment to Him, He will never break His commitment to us.
I love Romans 8:38-39: "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present or the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." When we commit ourselves to God, He commits Himself to us. And nothing compares to the commitment of God. I love the lyrics from the Sidewalk Prophets' song, "You Love Me Anyway". Take a listen (play music video).
But You love me anyway
It's like nothing in life
That I've ever known
Yes You love me anyway
Oh Lord, how You love me
I am the thorn in your crown
But You love me anyway
I am the sweat from Your brow
But You love me anyway
I am the nail in Your wrist
But You love me anyway
I am Judas' kiss
But You love me anyway
See now I am the man who yelled out from the crowd
For Your blood to be spilled on this earth shaking ground
Yes then I turned away with a smile on my face
With this sin in my heart, tried to bury Your grace
And then alone in the night I still call out for You
So ashamed of my life, my life, my life
But You love me anyway
Oh God, how You love me
Yes You love me anyway
It's like nothing in life
That I've ever known
Yes You love me anyway
Oh Lord, how You love me
I don't know where you are this morning. It may be that in your life you have given your heart away, you have committed yourself to another, and they have broken their vow to you. They have trampled your heart into pieces. It may be that you've been so hurt that you feel you can't give away your heart again. Let me tell you this morning, there is one person who if you give your heart to, well never disappoint you. He'll never break His Word or break your heart. No matter where you are, no matter what your have done, He will take you in. Won't you commit your life to God this morning? If you do, you will never be disappointed.
Let's pray.
