I am reading a book called Ruth and here’s what chapter 1 has ministered to me so far:

Ruth was a friend of God who dwelt with the Moabites until she was sent leadership. Her leadership led her into her promised land where she dwelt in the house of The Lord forevermore.

Ruth 1:1-5 gives the backstory of Naomi, Ruth’s mother-in-law. She was married to a man called Elimelech which means “my God is king.” Elimelech led his wife and two sons into a land called Moab because his homeland of Bethlehem fell under a famine. There, his two sons met and married wives, one being Ruth.

Ruth 1:6-18 depicts the state of mind that Miss Naomi was in. Her husband and sons deceased, she felt she had nothing left to offer her daughters so she entreated them to go back to their hometowns and find new husbands and new lives. Ruth being faithful and loyal to Naomi, decided to follow her mother-in-law into her homeland of Bethlehem.

Ruth 1:19-22 concludes the chapter showing that Naomi was still in deep mourning when she was coming into her homeland. Being received by those around her who hadn’t seen her in a while, she didn’t want to be perceived as the old Naomi whose name means “sweetness.” Yet Ruth came along, seemingly hopeful for a fresh start.

This chapter ministers to me in more ways than one. I see myself in Miss Naomi, mourning those things I left behind. An old flame, an old state of mind, an old way of thinking of myself, an old way of doing things. I’m embracing the journey now like Ruth with an open mind for what’s to come. Completely shattering those old things I held near to the altar of my heart, I have created eternal space for The Living God to abide within me.