Slices
Prepare
Reflect on how God has shown you the way ahead. ‘Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it’ (Jeremiah 6:16).
Bible passage
Naomi loses her husband and sons
1 In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while in the country of Moab. 2 The man’s name was Elimelek, his wife’s name was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem, Judah. And they went to Moab and lived there.
3 Now Elimelek, Naomi’s husband, died, and she was left with her two sons. 4 They married Moabite women, one named Orpah and the other Ruth. After they had lived there about ten years, 5 both Mahlon and Kilion also died, and Naomi was left without her two sons and her husband.
Naomi and Ruth return to Bethlehem
6 When Naomi heard in Moab that the Lord had come to the aid of his people by providing food for them, she and her daughters-in-law prepared to return home from there. 7 With her two daughters-in-law she left the place where she had been living and set out on the road that would take them back to the land of Judah.
8 Then Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, ‘Go back, each of you, to your mother’s home. May the Lord show you kindness, as you have shown kindness to your dead husbands and to me. 9 May the Lord grant that each of you will find rest in the home of another husband.’
Then she kissed them goodbye and they wept aloud 10 and said to her, ‘We will go back with you to your people.’
11 But Naomi said, ‘Return home, my daughters. Why would you come with me? Am I going to have any more sons, who could become your husbands? 12 Return home, my daughters; I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was still hope for me – even if I had a husband tonight and then gave birth to sons – 13 would you wait until they grew up? Would you remain unmarried for them? No, my daughters. It is more bitter for me than for you, because the Lord’s hand has turned against me!’
14 At this they wept aloud again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung to her.
15 ‘Look,’ said Naomi, ‘your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back with her.’
16 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. 17 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.’ 18 When Naomi realised that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.
Explore
Life is full of choices. Each day we make choices of little consequence, but occasionally we are required to grapple with tough, life-changing decisions, affecting both ourselves and those around us.
We find our protagonists at crossroads today, each required to make a life-changing choice. We know little about Elimelek’s decision to leave Bethlehem for Moab, except that he heads to a pagan country which has oppressed Israel for years (Judges 3:12–14). Elimelek wants to provide for his family, but I wonder about the motivation behind his decision-making.
Despite overwhelming grief, Naomi responds to a faithful God, who has now intervened in the famine (v 6). Accompanied by her daughters-in-law, Naomi finds the courage to return home. Blessing Orpah and Ruth, she entreats them to return to Moab and rebuild their lives. After impassioned persuasion, Orpah agrees, but Ruth responds with indignation, committing her life to serve both Naomi and the God of Israel (v17). In making her decision, Ruth is drawn to Naomi’s relationship with a personal and compassionate God. Capturing this hope, Ruth makes a life-changing choice that places her in history. I wonder if we, like Ruth, are drawn towards God’s path for our life when making decisions.
Respond
‘Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths’ (Psalm 25:4). Invite God to show you his ways as you make choices today.
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: Isaiah 31,32; Psalm 105
Pray for Scripture Union
This term the north team will continue to pioneer new missional ideas and projects in local areas. Please pray for God’s guidance as they ‘think outside the box’, exploring new and innovative ways to connect with children and young people across the north of England.
It’s not too late to sign up for this months Mission Support training!
When you sign up to receive Mission Support you get access to some brilliant online training opportunities! On the 30th September and the 1st of October we’ll be looking at how we journey with the 95 across the autumn and winter months and how we can connect with children and young people who are yet to know Jesus.