The time is now 11:30 PM and I have to be up bright and early at 4:30AM (!!) tomorrow so I'm going to quickly jot down some of my thoughts here for now and expound later.
Ruth 1: 7-11
7Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters in law with her; and they went on the way to return unto the land of Judah.
8And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her mother's house: the LORD deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me.
9The LORD grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept.
10And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people.
11And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?
In verse 7, it says, "
and they went on the way to return unto the land of Judah." Naomi, Orpah, and Ruth all set out on this journey to go from Moab to Judah because the famine in Judah had come to an end. What we see in vs. 8-9 is Naomi giving the girls a way out and releasing them from their obligation to her. In vs. 10, Orpah and Ruth choose to stay with her anyway and then in vs. 11, Naomi asks the very reasonable and practical question, "Why do you want to go with me? What do you have to gain?"
They all set out on this journey together but why? What were their individual reasons for leaving Moab and going to Judah? We know that Naomi wanted to go back to her people after losing her husband and sons but why did Orpah and Ruth make the decision to go?
When we set out on this journey to follow Christ, why did we decide to do that? What was our individual decisions based on? Was it based on our desire to fit within our community and not stand out? Was it based on our desire to please our parents? Was it based on a deeper revelation that God gave us?
This question of why is important because as we see in this story, their individual reasons would determine the extent of their committment to the decision they made to go with Naomi.
Ruth 1:14-
And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her.
Orpah's decision was based on the desire to be a good, obedient daughter-in-law. She did not see the need to go to Judah, like Naomi did, but went along just to please and fulfill her obligation to Naomi. So what's wrong with that? Well, when Naomi first told her that she could go back home, Orpah turned down the offer and stayed with her. When Naomi then brought up the reasonable point that Orpah would not have a life in Judah and no husband there, suddenly the journey became impractical and Orpah said her goodbyes and left.
A Christian walk with God does not alway look practical. There will be so many times when people point out the impracticality of living a life that's pleasing to God. If we set out on this journey for the wrong reasons, then like Orpah, when our eyes are opened to things that seem impractical we will be swayed and turn back on the decision we made to wholeheartedly follow God.
2 Peter 1:10
Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.
Let's make sure we know why we're here so, like Ruth, we never turn back!
