[Ruth] Returning to a Covenant RelationshipSample

Return to Me

We all make mistakes. And there are consequences for those mistakes. In Naomi’s case, she had made one mistake after another:

She had left the place where she was supposed to stay and walked away from God, going where she was NOT supposed to go;

She let her sons wed Moabites;

Finally, she found herself with no husband, sons, or food in a foreign land where others served a foreign god.

After all this, she was left with nothing but two Moabite daughters-in-law. Naomi then made her best decision yet: to RETURN.

Return, in Hebrew, means “to turn around, go in another direction, change one’s thinking.” It has the same meaning as the New Testament word translated as “repentance,” meaning God’s desire for us is summed up in the word RETURN.

When Naomi decided to return, what showed up in the land? Bread. By choosing to return, God, the Covenant-Keeper, changed the circumstances even before she returned.

Do you hear? God is calling. RETURN TO THE LORD, return to the land and the blessing.

When we were kids and disobeyed our parents, the last place we wanted to go was to be with them. From a human perspective, we understand why Naomi doesn’t want to return. And yet, what does God call us to do? He calls us to return.

He says: “With Me, there is blessing, grace, and forgiveness. You can’t have that if you are away from Me. Return to the covenant, change your direction, change your mind, return.”

As Naomi expresses her desire to return, God redirects her towards His kindness to a place of rest, extended to her daughters-in-law. They all respond to God’s call to return, filled with the same hope as Naomi. However, Ruth reacted with a stronger desire to cling and cleave to Naomi no matter what.

How often have we blamed God for our mistakes when we have walked away from Him into the garbage dump?

When we return to God, we come back to His mercy, loyal love, and kindness. It is in Him that we find rest and peace. It is only in the house of our Father that we find life.

What do we recommend to people when they share they are lost, broken, sad, and desperate? A book, a movie, a person, a doctor, a trip, a party, or a drug? When Jesus said He came to give us life abundantly, He meant it. He is where we need to be directed.

Only in Jesus can we find hope for the impossible, hope for blessing, hope for rest and peace.

RETURN to Me.

Come home.