March 15, 2012
Will You Move Forward or Turn Back?
Sharon Jaynes
Today’s Truth
“Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung to her,” (Ruth 1:14 NIV).
Friend to Friend
Have you ever been reading the Bible and suddenly something grabs hold of you so tightly, you know, oh you know, that God has opened your eyes to a new truth? That He has spoken to you loud and clear? Not through someone else, but directly to you? That happened to me this morning and I am compelled to write about it.
It was in the simply story of Naomi,Ruth and Orpah. How many times have I read this story, taught this story, pondered this passage, and yet, God still opened my eyes to something new.
Stand with me on the road back to Bethlehem as Ruth and Orpah are crying because their mother-in-law, Naomi, is headed back to Bethlehem. They both wanted to go with her, begged to go with her, pled to go with her.
But then Naomi said to the girls: “Return home, my daughters. Why would you come with me? Am I going to have any more sons, who could become your husbands? Return home, my daughters; I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was still hope for me—even if I had a husband tonight and then gave birth to sons— would you wait until they grew up? Would you remain unmarried for them? No, my daughters. It is more bitter for me than for you, because the LORD’s hand has turned against me!” (Ruth 1:11-13 NIV).
So Orpah turned around and went home. But Ruth replied: “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.” When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.” (Ruth 1 16-18 NIV).
Ruth, a Moabite, told Naomi, “Your God will be my God!” God was enough. She didn’t care if there was no husband, no future, no provision. She was not turning her back on Naomi. She was not turning her back on the God of Abraham. She was moving forward and trusting God!
There was nothing for Orpah in Bethlehem but God. There was nothing for Ruth in Bethlehem…but God. How many of us look at the future as Orpah did? We look ahead and it looks bleak, so we give up, turn around and go backwards…tuck our tails and go home?
How many of us look at the future, as Ruth did? She saw only God, and continued moving forward? How many of us, like Ruth, believe that God is enough?
I’m going to have to stop and pray right now: “God, I don’t see anything positive in this situation. I don’t see any hope. But I do see You and that’s enough. I’m moving forward…to Bethlehem…to the city whose name means, “House of Bread!”
(If you were sitting here with me as my fingers are flying over the keys, you would hear me preaching. No sweet little devotion today girls. I’m standing on my chair!)
How many of us are willing to be a Ruth? “God I don’t see what the future holds. I know others around me don’t see any future for me. I have Naomis in my life who tell me to turn around and go home. But God, you are enough. You are more than enough. You are all I need. I’m moving forward. I’m moving toward You!”
Ruth didn’t see anything bright in a future in Bethlehem. No husband, no home, no children. All she saw was God. And what did God give her in Bethlehem? He gave her a husband, a home, and children. All she saw was God…and God blessed her in ways that surprised everyone – including her own self.
And what happened to Orpah, the gal who turned around and went back home because she believed Naomi’s prediction of a bleak future? Who knows? We never heard about her again.
Let’s Pray
Dear God, no matter what anyone tells me today to try and discourage me from following hard after You, I am pressing forward. I am believing in You. I am trusting in You. I am clinging to You. You are more than enough.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.
Now It’s Your Turn
There will always be Naomi-people who try to tell us to turn around and go home. Who tell us that God is not enough. But listen; sometimes it is not a person, but the devil, Satan himself. He will whisper in your ear. “Don’t depend on God to meet your needs, go here, go there, your chances are better getting ____________ on your own.” You can fill in that blank with husband, children, financial blessing, health, and just about anything.
If you are willing to be a Ruth today and stand with me and say… “God is enough. He is all I need,” then log onto my Facebook page at www.facebook.com/sharonjaynesand say,
“God is enough!”
More from the Girlfriends
I’m so fired up right now; all I want is for you to forward this email to a woman who needs to believe that God is enough. If you forward this devotion to at least ten women who need to trust God today, then let me know at Sharon@sharonjaynes.com. I’m going to pick three of you at the end of the day, and send a free copy of Trusting God.
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