Determined Love 101 Ruth 1:14-18NKJ
Then they lifted up their voices and wept again; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.15 And she said, “Look, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.” 16 But Ruth said: “Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God. 17 Where you die, I will die, And there will I be buried. The Lord do so to me, and more also, If anything but death parts you and me.” 18 When she saw that she was determined to go with her, she stopped speaking to her.
Ruth a Moabite, wouldn’t have been accepted by the Israelites, but because God had plans for her life, and her heart was pure before Him, she ended up marrying Boaz, “a man of great wealth and integrity.” Moreover, from their ancestral line came King David, from whom descended our Lord.
What’s God doing through your bloodline? Your faithful commitment toward others you love? Don’t even take your old commitments and vows lightly!
Orpah’s love was narrow and conditional, her love was based on outcome and circumstances. The fact is, Naomi can’t have anymore children. She has nothing to offering Orpah. Orpah loved her husband; however, giving her life for the cause of her mother-In-Law, and Naomi’s God was another thing.
A college man walked into a photography studio with a framed picture of his girlfriend. He wanted the picture duplicated. This involved removing it from the frame. In doing this, the studio owner noticed the inscription on the back of the photograph:
“My dearest Tom, I love you with all my heart. I love you more and more each day. I will love you forever and ever. I am yours for all eternity.”
It was signed "Helen,” and it contained a P.S.: “If we ever break up, I want this picture back.”
That kind of love isn’t costly, there’s always a way out.
Ruth 1:14TM Again they cried openly. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law good-bye; but Ruth embraced her and held on.
Real love holds on, and won’t let go. Jesus’ love for humanity was never built upon conditions, or even our faithfulness.
Romans 5:6-8NLT When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. 7 Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. 8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
Remember Judas’ kiss of betrayal to Jesus? Affection doesn’t determine love, nor does mere words. The one thing that determines genuine love is faithfulness over the long haul. Obedience, in spite of difficulty. (No throwing in the towel.)
Ruth 1:15-17TM Naomi said, “Look, your sister-in-law is going back home to live with her own people and gods; go with her.”16-17 But Ruth said, “Don’t force me to leave you; don’t make me go home. Where you go, I go; and where you live, I’ll live. Your people are my people, your God is my god; where you die, I’ll die, and that’s where I’ll be buried, so help me God—not even death itself is going to come between us!”
“What kind of commitment is necessary for a strong marriage?”
First – Commitment to God.
Ruth said: “Your God shall be my God.” Naomi’s made two pleas before Orpah left; however, Naomi makes two more pleas before Ruth, four in all, but Ruth wasn’t leaving she was commitmented.
“This type of love for God, as well as for others is costly, hard, and takes an unconditional commitment.” P.H.
“Your cause has to be greater than your emotional state, greater than your feelings, greater than other’s opinion and greater than finances Etc.” P.H.
There is an interesting piece of romantic thinking that believes… if I find the right one, the one I really am attracted to, the one who pushes my buttons and pulls all my levers it doesn’t matter...
* What they believe.
* Whether they are a Christian.
* Whether they go to church.
* If they even love God.
ALL THAT MATTERS is the chemistry that exists between us. We’ll work the "church thing" out later. After all, why should this “religious issue” get in the way of true love?
To those "in love" this seems so right, so natural.
Listen to 2 Corinthians 6:14-16NLT Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? 15 What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever? 16 And what union can there be between God’s temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God said: “I will live in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people.
According to John Maxwell in his book "Building a Foundation for the Family:"
One out of three marriages end in divorce.
One out of 50 marriages end in divorce if the couple had a church wedding.
One out of 105 marriages end in divorce if the couple attended church regularly.
One out of 1105 marriages end in divorce if the couple attended church regularly and had family devotions.
Secondly, if we want our marriages to be permanent, we need to be committed to our spouse.
Our attitude should be the same as that voiced by Ruth:
Ruth 1:17TM …not even death itself is going to come between us!”
A man and her fiancée were at Town Hall, applying for their marriage license.
After they filled out all the papers, the clerk said, "This license is good for 30 days."
The groom-to-be was shocked: “No, you don’t understand, we want one that’s ‘till death do us part.’”
* God blesses commitment!
A final third point, When your heart is fixed and determined, you’ll live in your Bethlehem.
Ruth 1:18-19TM When Naomi saw that Ruth had her heart set on going with her, she gave in. And so the two of them traveled on together to Bethlehem.
Bethlehem means, house of bread, place of favor and blessings.
1. Remember Boaz.
2. Remember the free grain.
3. Remember God’s provision and favor for Ruth and Naomi!
Tucked right in the middle of Psalm 24:5NLT They will receive the Lord’s blessing and have a right relationship with God their savior.
For the Christian, marriage ought to be like the couple that had been married 39 years. They’d been through some stormy times, but in their tenth year of marriage came the bout to end all bouts.
The wife got so mad she pulled her suitcase out of the bedroom closet and started packing.
"What are you doing?" her husband demanded.
"I’m leaving."
So without a word he got his suitcase and started filling it with his clothes.
"Now, what are you doing?" his wife asked, bewildered.
"If you’re leaving," he told her firmly, "I’m going with you.”
Benediction.
