Go Where God Has Provided
“Then she arose with her daughters-in-law that she might return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the country of Moab that the Lord had visited His people by giving them bread.” Ruth 1:6 NKJV
As the story of Ruth begins we find that Naomi moved with her husband and sons from Bethlehem in the nation of Judah to dwell in Moab a land that rebelled against the things of God. Naomi’s two sons both married Moabite woman, but the tragedy struck her family again and again. Naomi lost her husband and both of her sons. She had nothing left to keep her in Moab. Then in verse 6, we learn that she had heard that the Lord was moving and blessing His people back in Judah. He was meeting the needs of those who were His own in the nation of His people, but Naomi found herself in a foreign land separated from her people and the blessings of God. Naomi made the decision to return to Bethlehem.
She encouraged both of her daughters-in-law to remain in their homeland. Of course, Ruth speaks those great words of faith and covenant and tells Naomi that she will go wherever Naomi goes. “Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God.” The result, of course, was the blessing of the Lord was poured out upon both of them and all their present needs were met. God took care of their future as well. David would come from the line of Ruth and from that line also came the Savior, Jesus Christ. I would say God certainly took care of their immediate needs and blessed their future as well.
Naomi had a need and when she heard (even in a foreign land) of the blessing of God being poured out upon His people back in her land of promise, she responded with boldness and left to go where the blessings of the Lord were. Too often in our lives when we have a need we expect the Lord to bring it right to our door so all we have to do is get out of our recliner, go to the door and sign for it. Faith requires action and action means sometimes we need to move out in faith just as Naomi did. When we have needs in life it is too easy to sit and wonder why God has not moved and met our need, we sit and do nothing. Instead, we should be listening to and obeying by going where He tells us to go. He may not ask you to move to a different city, but He is expecting us to listen and obey. God has done His part now it is up to us to listen, obey and then go!
You see the same principle in 1 Kings 17. Elijah the prophet of God obediently speaks a drought over the land in the presence of evil king Ahab. As soon as Elijah speaks about the drought, he is caught in the same circumstances as everyone else. But God had a plan to meet his needs. Elijah had to listen and obey by going to the blessing that the Lord prepared for him at the river Cherith. He meets your needs; you just need to have the heart of Naomi. Listen, be submissive and then go where He has provided for you.
J Todd Hostetler