Resolve

"Resolve" I can't say how many times I've heard this word lately. A few of Webster's definitions: to reduce by analysis -  to find an answer to - to reach a firm decision about.

I can't help but think about Ruth (her story is found in Ruth 1-4). When given a choice to return to her hometown and her former way of life she made a choice to stay with her deceased husband's mother named Naomi. Ruth 1:14-15 says "At this they (Ruth & her sister-in-law) wept aloud again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung to her. Look, said Naomi, your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back with her." 

Two important things to notice is #1 - they wept aloud again #2 - Ruth clung to her. Naomi gave her daughters-in-law a choice to return to their home and make a life for themselves at which time they wept and decided to continue on with Naomi, again she gave them another choice and Orpah decided to return home sad, but she returned. At which time Ruth reached a firm decision - she resolved to stay with her mother-in-law. 

I think as a people we have a tendency to relate to Orpah. We make a decision or a choice about living a life for God then when presented with another choice (sometimes unrecognizable by us - still a choice) we choose to return to our old life and serve other gods. Romans 3:23 - for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Thank God that nothing we do can separate us from His great love for us in Christ Jesus. We have a REDEEMER and His name is Jesus. 

There had to be something different about Naomi that caused Ruth to want to stay with her. Naomi had spent 10 years with her daughters-in-law in their land until her husband and her two sons had died. I would guess that something about her was different and desirable to be around even though she might not have recognized it in herself. 

Ruth tells Naomi in Ruth 1:16-17 - "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. 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." Ruth had RESOLVE she found an answer to her life. She was going to be faithful to Naomi and to her God at all costs. 

These two ladies came to Bethlehem (Naomi's hometown) and of course everyone in town was "stirred". In Naomi mind she wasn't returning in the same fashion she left, she "went away full and returned empty". I can just hear brakes screeching right about now................. let me see Naomi, her husband Elimelek & their two sons left their land due to a famine to live for a while in the country of Moab, but she saw herself "full", and was returning "empty". 

She returned to her hometown and renamed herself Mara "because her life was bitter". She was labeling herself based on her situation - she was getting stuck in the lower story. Don't we do the same? Why do we make the choice to be bitter about the things that happen in our life instead of giving them over to God to make us BETTER? Why does that seem to be our first response? Just call me Mara...BITTER. And this is the same woman that Ruth desired to follow? I still think Ruth saw something or someone (God) in Naomi that she didn't see in herself. 

Is it just me or would you like God to say, "Naomi, I know you and your family are hungry, you're going to spend 10 years in a foreign land full of Moabites who are your peoples enemies where you will loose your husband and your sons but you will gain a faithful daughter-in-law and she will return home with you and I will provide all the way there and back and then I'll use everything you've been through and redeem you (the upper story)". Oh but why would she need faith? God didn't change over this time but her circumstances did. It wasn't God's will for them to leave the promised land but no choice we make (sin) is beyond God's redemptive power. 

Naomi chose to be faithful to her husband and joined him on the journey through the lower story living in a land filled with the Israelites enemies. Her husband Elimelek thought the grass looked greener and Moab had the appearance of provision. How many times do we make decisions because the grass looks greener on the other side, not because we have prayed and received direction from God or we willfully decided just to do what we think is best (which is sin)? Thank God for His grace and His mercies which are new every day.

As people we have a desire and need for security. Even though the Israelites were living in the promised land there was no king and the people did as they thought right in their own eyes (sin). Naomi now a widow was without the security and covering of her husband in a foreign land decided to return home. 

God desires to be in an intimate relationship with us and in that we find our true security. When we get to the point were we realize what we have been doing isn't working and we feel the draw of God's Spirit calling us home he is right there ready to embrace us - the place where the lower story meets the upper story. Ruth found security in her relationship with Naomi and through that relationship she was led to make God her God. We plant all kinds of seeds some good - some weeds. Father God, please bring strong believers into our lives so that we may be mutually encouraged by each others faith (Romans 1:12)

I have a dear friend named Helen who's response to anything that comes her way is "Glory to God". I was on the phone with her and was boo-hoo-ing about something going on in my life at the time and she responded "Glory to God Beloved". I thought to myself well she is an older lady maybe she didn't hear me over the top of all my crying so I'll repeat myself so she can hear all this trouble I'm going through. I repeated my troubles to her and she responded again with "Glory to God Beloved". It took me quite awhile being around this strong believer to get it when one day I came across Romans 8:28 "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose". What if we gave everything the good and the bad over to God for his purpose? The earth is His and everything in it so why not trust him to bring about all things for our good and his glory. 

This is what happened with Naomi & Ruth, they returned to Bethlehem and out of their need for food Ruth had to glean (gather grain or other produce left by reapers). God didn't put her in just any old field but a field who belonged to a family member of Naomi named Boaz. Another definition for glean is to gather bit by bit. I like to think of this when we go through something. Bit by bit Lord let me learn something from what I go through let nothing go to waste. It's so easy to become bitter from what we have gone through. God help us to be like Ruth and be better. Ruth was learning about obedience, faithfulness, forgiveness, restoration and God's redemption. Boaz was a foreshadow of Christ, as a kindsman-redeemer he married Ruth giving her and Naomi provision and security (they were redeemed) and from their relationship they produced offspring. Ruth was graphed in to the family line which would bring forth the earthly parents of Jesus who called himself "Son of Man" which means we are kindsman and if we ask him to come into our life and take over lordship Jesus becomes our redeemer - Kindsman-Redeemer. 

Daily we are given a choice, may we resolve (reach a firm decision) who we are going to serve - Jesus Christ the one who died to give us the fullness of life. 

Glory to God Beloved!