November 3, 2024
Today we’re starting a short message series on the Old Testament book, Ruth. First, I have a survey: what kind of movies do you like best? Action? Yeah, like Mission Impossible! Comedy? That’s mine! I love to laugh! Mysteries? Or horror movies? Action, comedy, mystery, horror, does that cover all the movies? Oh, yes, romance!
The book of Ruth is a great book! But I have to admit it’s a romance, a chick flick. There are no explosions or car chases. There’s not a lot of jokes. Not even any miracles. It’s a story of some people in a desperate situation, working a plan, praying, and walking by faith into God’s providence. It has a sad beginning but comes to a very happy ending. I love that.
But it’s more than a story with a great ending. It teaches us that God calls us all to follow a dream he puts in our hearts, and really stick with it, even if it doesn’t make sense.
Have you ever wondered what your purpose is? Why God made you? What you’re supposed to be doing? The book of Ruth teaches us, God has a purpose for you, and when you go all out on that purpose, God does amazing things with your faithfulness!
The book of Ruth begins with a famine in the land. There is not enough to eat. So, Elimelek a man from Bethlehem, in Judah, leaves with his wife and two sons, to go to live in the county of Moab. Moab is across the Dead Sea from Judah. In Moab, people don’t follow the God of Israel. Instead, they had other gods. Elimelek, his wife Naomi, and their two sons, go live in land of Moab, that’s not home, where the people don’t follow their God. But they need to eat! Elimelek and Naomi’s kids’ names are Mahlon and Kilion. The names kind of tell the story: Mahlon means sickly. Kilion means come to the end. They got sick and came to their end. Both sons died! So did their Dad, Elimelek. But before the sons died, they had both married Moabite women, Orpah and Ruth.
Now when Naomi loses her husband and her two sons, she is in a desperate situation. It was rough back then for a widow. Women couldn’t own property. So, she has nothing. She isn’t living in her home country. She could become a beggar, but basically that’s it. Naomi hears that the famine is over in Judah! She has some relation back home who might possibly help her. She decides to go back to Judah, with her two daughters-in-laws.
They start their journey to Judah. But then Naomi thinks about her two daughters-in-law. Why should they have to go with her? Why should they leave their country? They are young and could get married again. And she says to Orpah and Ruth: “Go back, each of you, to your mother’s home. May the Lord show you kindness, as you have shown kindness to your dead husbands and to me. 9 May the Lord grant that each of you will find rest in the home of another husband.”
There’s a lot of tears, this is a chick flick! After crying it out, Orpah says goodbye to her mother-in-law Naomi and goes back to her family.
Ruth, however, says, “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. 17 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.”
It’s a beautiful, amazing speech. God put in Ruth’s heart: I’m going to stick with Naomi. It may not make sense, but she’s become family. Whatever happens we’ll go through this life together. I’m a Moabite. But now I will go to Naomi’s homeland, Judah, her God will be my God. Ruth knew her purpose! When you follow God’s calling, you wouldn’t have it any other way!
There are many reasons for Ruth to go back to her family. She’s not Hebrew. The Hebrews don’t like the idea of marrying foreigners. God didn’t want Hebrews to marry foreigners because you might start following their gods. Ruth would likely be discriminated against in Judah. Probably no one will marry her. But there is no stopping her, even if it means life as a beggar, Ruth will live and die beside Naomi. Your feelings don’t matter when it comes to your purpose! You may think you’re not enough, you’re not the one. So, what! God has a purpose for you!
Ruth doesn’t know a whole lot about God, but God put in her heart a purpose to be family for Naomi, who has lost her family. When you follow God’s calling, you wouldn’t have it any other way!
Can you see a time in your life when you said, there’s no way I’m turning back. I’m seeing this through. You felt compelled to fulfill a purpose God has for you. You have to do it. Nobody can talk you out of it! You’ve got a purpose. You’ve got a dream! It doesn’t even matter how you feel. You’re not letting this thing go!
It’s like if you have kids and pets. You love your pets. If your kids get a serious illness, you will do anything for your kids, go to any length to help them! You migtht do a lot for your pets, but at some point you’ll let them cross the rainbow bridge. You know your purpose! It’s the people close to you.
When her mother-in-law is about to make a dangerous journey back to her homeland, with no guarantees if she gets back home that anyone will take care of her, Ruth says, no, you’re not going alone, I’m going with you! There is no way you are going without me!
Ruth discovered her purpose, when Orpah, her sister-in-law, said goodbye, I going to my home in Moab. Ruth probably thought, I could go home too. But something inside her said, “hell will freeze over before I leave my mother-in-law.” When you follow God’s purpose, you wouldn’t have it any other way.
How do you find your purpose? First, it’s not your purpose, it’s God’s purpose. It’s about serving others. Maybe you think that sounds stupid. But so often, as in this book of Ruth, serving someone else ends up a blessing for you! We’ve got a very happy ending I promise you two weeks from now!
In May of last year, I heard about the financial difficulties of the Williams Valley School District. I also learned the state was taken to court, lost, and was found guilty of violating the state constitution, due to the state’s inequitable funding of school districts. I signed up with Education voters of PA to go visit state legislators. I don’t live in the WV school district. I don’t have a kid in school. It doesn’t make sense for me to get involved.
But God signed me up! I’m so grateful to you for signing post cards to legislators, Kevin Williard and Kate went to visit state legislators, St. Peter’s Bible Study had a photo taken supporting more funding for schools. The state budget last year had a $14billion surplus and coul afford to spend more on education. And what’s more important than schools having the funding for every child to succeed and get an education that prepares them for life? In July, the state legislature approved $926,000 more for WV, and more for the majority of school districts! This is only the first year. The PA Commonwealth Court gave the state seven years to increase funding to what is fair. We’ve got six more years to go and work to do. But I believe there will be a happy ending!
God chooses your purpose. You just need to say yes. Next week we’ll learn about praying and working purposefully. It wasn’t enough for Ruth to know her purpose and choose it. She had to live it out. Not get tired. Not give up. If you’re getting tired, next week will fire you up! The last week is about the amazing things that came from Ruth following her purpose, that never would have happened if she decided to take the easy route and just go home.
My homework for you is to read Ruth 1:16,17. What is God’s purpose for you now? What’s your, “May God deal with me severely if I don’t __________” Think about God’s purpose for you.
God put Ruth where she was for a reason. He had a purpose for her. God put you here for a reason. He didn’t put you here so you’ll be rich and cool, so everyone will want to be you. He put you here to serve others. Your purpose may not make sense. You may be a little scared of following your purpose. But when you make the choice to follow God’s purpose for you, it turns out you wouldn’t have it any other way! Amen.
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