The comments below refer to Chapter 1, verses 1-18 from the Book of Ruth in your Bible.  It is only four chapters long, which makes it a bit hard to find sandwiched as it is between the Book of Judges and the Book 1 of Samuel.

Commitment – being faithful, dedicated to doing what is right.

Even if you know it will be a struggle.

Even if you know that you will be in danger.  

Even if you know that you may live the rest of your life rejected and scorned.

Even though you know that you might not survive the journey.

Ruth knew about the animosity between the Israelites and the Moabites.

Remember Lot, who had lived in Sodom (Genesis 19)?  He and his daughters got out, but his wife turned back and died.  Remember why his daughters got him drunk?  Well … Lot and his daughters were the origin of the people of Moab (Genesis 19:37).

Although the Moabites were related to the Israelites through Lot and Abraham, by the time of Moses, they no longer worshipped the God of Abraham.  By the time of Moses, they were completely pagan.

They were the ones who hired Balaam (remember the donkey who talked?) to curse Israel, but God wouldn’t let Balaam do that, and Moab ended up cursed instead (Numbers 22-24).

So, you have to wonder why Elimelek chose to go all the way down to Moab.  He and Naomi were from Bethlehem. They would have had to journey through the territory of Reuben, another tribe of Israel. There is no indication that Reuben was having a famine too.  But they passed right through Reuben and stopped in Moab.  Maybe they had heard that the economy there was better.  The Israelites probably traded with the Moabites.  That would explain how the Moabites could tell Naomi that things were better in

And after Elimelek died, Naomi allowed her two sons to marry Moabite women, Orpah, and Ruth. All three knew that the Moabites were pagan.  But the women were good to her sons and Naomi developed a deep affection for both of them.  After Naomi and her sons had been in Moab for about 10 years, her sons died. Neither had any children She was left with no means of support and two daughters-in-law in the same situation. 

She had heard that the famine in Judea had ended, so she decided to go back home.  At first, Orpah and Ruth were with her, but then she realized that she had nothing to offer them.  Orpah returned to her people and her gods, but Ruth had come to believe in the one true God, and insisted on staying with Naomi, no matter what. 

It would take several days for the two women, one of them older, carrying supplies, walking alone, to arrive in Bethlehem.  It was a struggle.  It was dangerous.  Ruth knew she might be scorned and rejected by the people in Bethlehem. It was possible that robbers could kill them along the way.

But Ruth’s words to Naomi were powerful words of commitment. “Where you go, I will go… Your people will be my people and your God my God.”  Ruth was determined to follow Naomi and the God Naomi had taught her to love.

Are you as determined to follow Jesus?  Will you commit to go wherever he leads?

Commitment – being faithful, dedicated to doing what is right.

    Even if you know it will be a struggle.

    Even if you know that you’ll be in danger.

    Even if you know that you may live the rest of your life rejected and scorned.

    Even if you know that you might not survive the journey.