Hope: Determination

Ruth 1:6-22

Naomi asked her to come have tea.  Ruth knew what was coming because the rumor mill was never silent in their town.  When she arrived at Naomi's house, her sister-in-law was already sitting at the table with a cup in hand.  She sat and Naomi set a cup in front of her but she wasn't interested in drinking.  She wanted to get to the issue at hand.

Naomi sat opposite the two younger women and cleared her throat.  For a moment, she thought that the dark circles under Naomi's eyes had lightened, but then, when her eyes adjusted to the dim light in the room, she realized that they were still there, accentuated by her blood shot eyes.

"You have been my joy these past ten years, " Naomi began.  "I had asked the Lord for a daughter and He gave me two with you.  But the Lord gives and the Lord takes away, and when He took my sons, He also took you from me."

Ruth leaned forward and grabbed Naomi's clasped hands.  "I'm not going anywhere."  She looked at Orpah, who sat expressionless.

Naomi pulled her hands away and shook her head.  "You have no future with me.  I have nothing to give you.  When I get back home, I will sell our land and live off the proceeds until they run out.  Then I will die."

Ruth smiled.  "Oh, come, on, mother!  It won't be that bad.  The people will be so happy to have you back and they will have compassion on you because the men are gone.  You'll see, we'll be fine!"

"There's no we, Ruth." Tears filled Naomi's eyes. "Please listen to my words.  I have nothing to offer you.  There is no future with me.  I have no more sons, no more money and I can't go back to Israel, find a husband, have two more sons, raise them and then give you to them as wives.  It's over.  Our family is finished.  I will go back to Israel and die."

Ruth leaned in, eyes darting between Naomi and Orpah.  "What are we to do?  Our people have rejected us.  When we married your sons, we made our choice.  We can't go back home."

Oprah finally spoke. "I can go home.  My family has already made plans for me to return." She looked at Ruth. "I need a husband.  I want children.  I don't want to be an outcast in a land I do not know."  She stood. "I'm staying here.  Thank you, Naomi, for understanding."  With that Orpah turned and left.

"You must go, too, Ruth.  You are too young. You are a good wife.  Any man would be blessed to have you."  Naomi stood and gestured towards the door. "Don't worry about me.  I will die in peace sooner than later."

Ruth jumped to her feet and instead of heading towards the door, she fell at Naomi's feet.  There were no tears, just determination.  She held onto Naomi's robe and lifted her head.

"You are my family, Naomi.  You are not alone.  I will go to my death, caring for you.  If you're going back to Israel, I am going with you.  They are my people now and your God is my God.  I cannot return to the false worship of my family.  I will help you sell the land and I will figure out how to provide for the two of us.  I am strong. I am young.  And I am going with you."

Naomi opened her mouth to protest but Ruth stood and said, "Pack your bags, mother.  We are going home."

She left the mourning mother standing in the middle of her kitchen, alone.  She didn't dare turn and look at her, for fear that Naomi would voice her objections.  She ran out the door, back to her home, and sat on her bed.  Looking around her room, the walls started to close in on her.  She didn't have any good options.  There wasn't man in Moab who would look at her because she was a widow of an Israelite.  And the same was true in Israel, because she was a Moabite.  She would never hold her baby in her arms, watch his first steps, sing him lullabies or feel his little arms around her neck.  It would be better to care for Naomi than have nothing.  To stay in Moab would mean to return to the idolatry of her people and that was the worst option of all.

Ruth took a deep breath and wiped the tears from her eyes.  Though her future seemed bleak, she would seek God's face and serve Him in Israel.  She had a lot of packing to do and though she had no idea what would happen when they returned to Bethlehem, she was confident of at least one thing:  the God of Israel did not abandon His people and He would not abandon her either...