Are we looking forward?

This is from Girlfriends in God, but the truths in it are for all of us.

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.

Ruth not only chose to put God first, but trusted Him.
No matter the situation, we need to put God first, look ahead, never look back or sideways, and completely put our trust in Him. We have to be willing to say to God, "My life is yours to do with it, what you will".