Focus

Experience silence in the midst of your busy day. Take some time to relax into a time to be with God.

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Read

Ruth 1:6-18 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Then she started to return with her daughters-in-law from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the country of Moab that the Lord had considered his people and given them food. So she set out from the place where she had been living, she and her two daughters-in-law, and they went on their way to go back to the land of Judah. But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back each of you to your mother’s house. May the Lord deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me. The Lord grant that you may find security, each of you in the house of your husband.” Then she kissed them, and they wept aloud. They said to her, “No, we will return with you to your people.” But Naomi said, “Turn back, my daughters, why will you go with me? Do I still have sons in my womb that they may become your husbands? Turn back, my daughters, go your way, for I am too old to have a husband. Even if I thought there was hope for me, even if I should have a husband tonight and bear sons, would you then wait until they were grown? Would you then refrain from marrying? No, my daughters, it has been far more bitter for me than for you, because the hand of the Lord has turned against me.” Then they wept aloud again. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.
So she said, “See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.” But Ruth said,

“Do not press me to leave you
or to turn back from following you!
Where you go, I will go;
where you lodge, I will lodge;
your people shall be my people,
and your God my God.

Where you die, I will die—
there will I be buried.
May the Lord do thus and so to me,
and more as well,
if even death parts me from you!”
When Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more to her.

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Reflect

Who is your family? Remember, family doesn’t have to be blood relatives. I am an only child. In fact, so were both of my parents. As I grew older, I realized if I was going to have family (besides my husband, children, grandchildren, and so on) I had to find some people to be my family. My family now is people I have chosen to have around me – my church family, friends that have common interests, and yes, my few blood relatives. A member of my bowling team laughs when we aren’t bowling our best and says “we just pay to have friends” but truth is, the three of us are like family by choice. Do you remember the iconic theme song for The Golden Girls? “Thank you for being a friend. Travel down the road and back again. Your heart is true, you’re a pal and a confidant.” We resemble that. In this familiar scripture, Ruth could have gone back to her blood relatives, but chose to be family to Naomi. And what a family they were! They watched out for each other, supported each other, loved each other, and worshiped the same God – together! Were they blood kin? No, but they sure were family!

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Pray

God, I thank you for the family members You have brought into my life. I ask that You bless them each as they have been a blessing to me. Amen.

Go with God!