The Clingy Ruth

I've been recently reading the book of Ruth. Several times I've read this whole book in the Bible (it's only 4 chapters short), and it's always an inspiring story of hope, redemption and love.

While reading this book, these verses somewhat struck me again,

"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.”  -Ruth 1:16-17

This was the time when Naomi decided to go back to her hometown in Israel after her husband and years later, her two sons died. Her sons were married to Moabite women, Orpah and Ruth. Orpah stayed in Moab but Ruth clung to her and said this strong declaration that she will not leave Naomi... ever. (She's one very clingy daughter-in-law!)

Illustration from distantshores.com

The story of Ruth is also known in the realm of love-- the Boaz and Ruth couple. From them came the lineage of David and so of Jesus. But this will not came to be have not Ruth stayed with Naomi from the start of the story. It's very obvious that Ruth loved her mother-in-law so much that she's very willing to leave everything behind just to be with her, wherever she goes--may it be in her hometown or anywhere else I believe.

In this time of the year, we always have a series of preaching in our church that is focused in world missions. I somewhat had it connected, the statement of Ruth to Naomi, in world missions.

I've been to short mission trips before, and they were really life-changing and fulfilling. Whenever I am asked if I'm going to go someday for long-term missions, I usually say I don't know or I am open with the idea. I sometimes think that I can just marry a missionary so to be in a long-term missions haha! But yeah, that was just a crazy idea that crosses my mind sometimes about going long-term. :)

But the real question is... Can I say and do what Ruth did? Say when the time comes, will I be able to say and do it like she did? Going where God told me to go? In this I was reminded of these verses that I believe God had given to me during our annual prayer and fasting by the start of this year...

"From one man he made all the people of the world. Now they live all over the earth. He decided exactly when they should live. And he decided exactly where they should live. God did this so that people would seek him. Then perhaps they would reach out for him and find him. They would find him even though he is not far from any of us." -Acts 17:26-27 (NIRV)

So wherever God will be placing me (or you my dear reader (: ), it is something that is already been planned even before we became humans. And when He calls, He gives grace. :) It is just a matter of seeking God for His will for our lives and trusting Him as we obey. :)