Heroes: Devotions From Time Of Grace MinistryНамуна

SACRIFICE: RUTH

"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." (Ruth 1:16)

These words are popular at weddings. Indeed, the words Ruth spoke sound great coming from a Christian groom to a Christian bride and vice-versa. Actually, they were spoken by a foreigner, Ruth the Moabite, by a young widow to an old widow.

Mahlon the Israelite had come to Moab during a famine in Israel and married Ruth. But he, his dad, and his brother all died, leaving three widows. Naomi, the older one, decided to go back to Israel to try to survive. Orpah stayed in Moab. When Ruth spoke the words above in a generous and sacrificial commitment to the older woman, she revealed her servant-heart. She was willing to let go of her culture, relatives, ancestral religion, and property.

When they got to Israel, Ruth worked as a wheat gleaner. She appealed to Boaz as her kinsman-redeemer (see the previous Boaz devotion), and he accepted. He acquired a tremendous wife and life partner. I completely understand why so many Christian parents name their daughters Ruth. She's my hero too.