RETURN TO JUDAH
The Book of Ruth in the Bible is a short one, but those four chapters are packed with "words that preach" as they say. The story of Naomi and her daughter-in-law, Ruth, is full of restoration, romance, provision, faith, and the unfailing love of God; it all started when they headed back to Judah.
"Wherefore she (Naomi) went forth out of the place where
she was, and her two daughters in law with her, and they
went on the way to return unto the land of Judah."
Judah was a small inland nation, located more or less to the west of the Dead Sea. The very meaning of Judah is "Praise." Moab, on the other hand, carries the meaning, "Who's your daddy?" Moab was the incestuous son of Lot with his oldest daughter, and Moab was the father of the Moabites.
When Naomi left Moab, she told people that she should be called "mara," which means 'the Lord hath dealt bitterly with me.' Her husband and two sons had all died; who could blame her? Words and names had infinite and utmost importance in those days. Naomi left a confusing, unhealthy and immoral place, called Moab, to return to a place of blessing and praise, called Judah. A place of "praise" It Was! Ruth, Naomi's daughter-in-law fell in love and married a kinsman redeemer named Boaz, and they begat Obed, the grandfather of King David.
The story of Naomi and Ruth leaves a cozy warm feeling in your soul everytime you read it, and it emphasizes God's integral providence in all of our lives. Ruth's famous words, "For whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God," transported her into the ancestry of Jesus Christ our Lord, and into our hearts as one of the most beloved books of the Bible.
There is another part of the story that we sort of look over; it's that little word "return." With all the courting, gleaning, posturing, and maneuvering in the story, we might miss that very powerful word, "return." None of it would have happened; Ruth would not have met Boaz; Naomi would not have a grandson; the whole heritage of our Lord would have been different "if" Naomi had not decided to "return." Return to what? Return to "Praise!" Return to the place of blessing; return to her heritage of God and His people.
What about you? Have you gotten off the ordained, God-ordered, perfect Will enacted, path of Almighty God? Do you find yourself in a confusing, trouble after trouble, life-declining, distressing, hopeless place? Have you prayed and prayed with no answer, it seems? Your answer is "Return." Return to the place of "praise." Return to the place where you last felt God, to the place of His Will, to His waiting open arms, to that anointed powerful Spirit-filled church, to the husband or wife you separated from because neither would relinquish pride, to that oasis of blessing and peace, and to the very place where you know you belong.
It is an easy thing to do; most of our problems center around the word "prIde." It's always the "I" that gets us into trouble. The Lord Jesus Christ is just a prayer away, "Lord, I humble myself before You; I seek Your face; I turn from my wicked ways; please forgive me, fill me with Your Spirit; lead me in the paths of righteousness for Your Name sake all the days of my life; I submit my will to You now and forever. Take me back, Lord, to the center of Your will; Lead me and I will follow. Amen." You just did an incredible, wonderful, powerful thing; You left Moab and You returned to Judah!
By Sheryl Fowler
(Visit promiselandchurch.net and theexperience238.com. PromiseLand Church, Austin, Texas, "Austin In Love," Pastor Kenneth Phillips)
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