I started this series last year, about kingdom connections and I started with David and Jonathan.  Today, I want us to look at Ruth and Naomi.  The tale of Ruth and Naomi is truly outstanding.  It touches on so many areas that we all go through in life:  being a foreigner in a land, poverty, destitution, allegiance, faith, friendship, integrity, love,  trust in God and more.

The connection that Ruth and Naomi had with each other was like that of a mother and a daughter; afterall, Naomi was Ruth’s mother in law.  But for me, it goes beyond that and I see the relationship that women, sisters in Christ can have with one another.  There are so many examples in the Bible of relationships that are from the throne of grace and I will look at more in my subsequent posts.

BACKGROUND: There was famine in Judah and a man named Elimelech took his wife Naomi and two sons (Mahlon and Chilion) to go and sojourn in Moab.  At a point, Naomi’s husband died and Naomi was left with her two sons.  They in turn got married, one to Orpah and the other to Ruth.  And they all lived in Moab for ten years.  Unfortunately, Mahlon and Chilion also died and Naomi was left with her two daughters in law.

Naomi decided there was no point for her to continue to stay in Moab, living in poverty and being destitute.   When she was ready to embark on her journey back home, Naomi turned to her daughters in law and said to them in the book of Ruth 1: ⁹ May the Lord grant that each of you will find rest in the home of another husband.” Then she kissed them goodbye and they wept aloud ¹⁰ and said to her, “We will go back with you to your people.”  But Naomi insisted that they go back to their own families and eventually  Orpah left and turned back but Ruth did not and this is what she told her mother in law Naomi in verse ¹⁶ 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. 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.” ¹⁸ When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.  ¹⁹ So the two women went on until they came to Bethlehem. When they arrived in Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them, and the women exclaimed, “Can this be Naomi?”

Ruth did not allow her mother in law to go back alone back to Judah, she went with her mother in law Naomi, not knowing what was in store for them when they got to Judah.  Ruth was dedicated to Naomi.  But God had a purpose for the two women that was to be revealed when they got to Judah.

Their relationship was such that Ruth told Naomi everything and so she told Naomi she wanted to go to the field and pick some grains and Naomi  encouraged Ruth to go to the field.  Naomi trusted Ruth to behave herself and did not have to tell her what to do.  And so, Ruth’s hard work was noticed by the owner of the field, who was a relation of Naomi’s husband, named Boaz.

As the story continues we see that there was a very close bond between Naomi and Ruth.  They both looked after each other;  they were together most times and Naomi would tell Ruth what to do.  Naomi was also instrumental in advising Ruth on what to do regarding getting Boaz’s attention.  They truly had a close bond and were loyal to each other too.

I believe that even though Ruth was from the tribe of Moab, she had by virtue of being married to one of Naomi’s son learnt to know of the God that Naomi served and trusted in God.  They both watched over each other and had each other’s back, what a beautiful friendship.

There was nothing special about these two women but God had a plan to bless one through the other.   Thank God for kingdom connections!  They loved each other and did not want to hurt one another and they had respect  for each other.   They were willing to help each other and that was the classic beauty about their friendship.

So when Naomi and Ruth arrive in Judah and as Naomi is being celebrated, she tells the women in Ruth 1: ²⁰ “Don’t call me Naomi,” she told them. “Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter.  When we are going through tough times and think we are alone, we are not.  We are told in Hebrews 13: 5b “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Sometimes, it is in those moments of desperation that we encounter God anew and afresh.  No matter how desperate things might seem, know that the right hand of God will always turn things around for our good. 

The story of these two women shows the love of God in action.  Ruth surrendered to the advice that Naomi gave her and that is how it is with us and our relationship with God.  God wants us to surrender to Him, so He can direct our paths.  Just as Ruth did not leave Naomi to make her journey back home on her own, so also, our Lord does not leave us alone at anytime, no matter what we might be going through.  In 2 Chronicles 16:^9a For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. .”  

No matter what you are going through, God sees you and He will answer you at the appointed time.  God will allow not so pleasant things to happen to us but He will bring us through it.  God is the One who prepares a table before our enemies and so shall it be in Jesus name.

PRAYER POINT:

1. Father Lord, help me to focus on you the Author and the Finisher of my faith in Jesus name.
2. Lord, you who came through for Naomi and Ruth individually, I pray that you will show up in my situation (name your situation) in Jesus name.
3. Lord even during this period, may I see you, reveal yourself to me in a new way in Jesus name.

Books by Tola Dehinde:

The paperback version of my books, are available for purchase from Amazon and the e-books are available on www.toladehinde.com :

• Prayer Personified

• Godly Declarations