Ruth chapter 1. Commitment Sunday. 20/1/2008 Duncan Leake
1. “I will go with you wherever you go”, said Ruth.
Ruth could have chosen a different life.
She could have chosen to stay with her own people, to make a fresh start in her own land.
She chose to go with Naomi.
It can’t have been an easy choice for her to make.
The bible records that when they arrived back in Judah, Naomi was not in a particularly happy frame of mind. People greeted her and people called her by her name, “Naomi” which means “my delight”
But Naomi told everyone “don’t call me that…” don’t call me Naomi.. call me MARA (which means bitterness) because God has brought me such bitterness.
So Naomi can’t always have been the best of company for Ruth, and being a friend to someone who is so distressed is not always easy is it?
I think that makes the words of Ruth to Naomi even more significant… “Wherever you go I will go.”
Ruth made a commitment.
A “no-strings attached” kind of commitment.
Ruth didn’t say “as long as you appreciate me I’ll stand by you”, she didn’t say “as long as you are cheerful I will look after you.” She just said… wherever you go… I’ll be there with you.
2. It seems to me that for each of us, choosing to live in friendship with God is like making the same sort of commitment that Ruth made to Naomi.
We simply say to God.. wherever you go, I will go. Isn’t that what the Bible means when it talks about us needing to be “led by the Spirit.” Paul says in Romans 8:14 that the “children of God” are those “who are led by the Spirit of God.”
As his children we say… Wherever you go, Lord… I will go with you.
And Paul again uses the picture of us being on a journey with God when he says that we each have to “Keep in step with the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25)
God is moving, we have to move with him.
To keep in step with the Spirit we say
“Wherever you go Lord… I will go with you.”
Is that what you have said to God?
I’ll come back to that in a moment… but first let’s think about how Ruth showed her commitment to Naomi.
3. In any church family there are some people who have only recently started out on a journey through life in friendship with God, some people who still have to understand what that means. There will be some people who made a commitment to God many years ago and who know what it is to travel through the years with him. And at any time there will be some in the church family whose journey with God is taking them through times of blessing, and hope and renewal and encouragement. And at the same time there will be others whose journey with God is through times of heartbreak and difficulty.
The example of friendship that Ruth showed to Naomi is an example for us to learn from and follow. What is it that Ruth said… “I will go wherever you go…” That’s a commitment that we have to make to each other. So as we walk in step with the Spirit.. we walk with one another through the different situations that are part of our journeys with God.
As we have said just a few minutes ago in our act of commitment, we will love one another. Jesus commands us to! And Paul says in the letter to the Galatians that as members of the church family we must Share each other’s troubles and problems, and in this way obey the law of Christ. (Galatians 5:25)
We can say to each other… whatever happens to you on your journey… I will stay with you. I will be here for you.
4. And I love the way that this commitment that Ruth makes to Naomi is a reflection of the promise that God makes to us.
I will go wherever you go
It was the promise that God made to Abraham when he said that he had a plan and a purpose for his life… Leave your country, your relatives, and your father’s house, and go to the land that I will show you. God went with Abraham, spoke to him appeared to him, encouraged, corrected, guided him, showed him the way to the land, and fulfilled his promises to him.
God spoke to Joshua as he was about to lead the people of Israel into the Promised Land, after the death of Moses… and he said…
Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go. Josh.1:9
God said to his people through the prophet Isaiah:
“Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. 2 When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you.” (Is.43:1-12)
And Jesus made the same promise to all who are his friends “… be sure of this: I am with you always…
(Matthew 28:20)
5. I remember once talking to someone who loved flying. To be more exact, this person really loved taking off in an aeroplane. One of the best holidays she had been on was when they stayed on a tiny Greek island. This island was so small that the runway went from one side to the other. And because it was so short, the planes could not carry a full load of fuel… so they carried just enough fuel to take off and hop to another island… bigger runway and so could refuel there and take off again. In fact on this particular flight there had been three take off's and landings. This person thought that was Brilliant because she really loved the acceleration and sense of speed as the plane takes off and hurtles down the runway.
How do you feel when the flight is about to start, excited… looking forward to the acceleration… or maybe a bit apprehensive?
Think about that short runway on the Greek island. And picture the plane hurtling down it towards the sea at the end. As it gathers speed going down the runway there comes a point where the pilot has to make a decision. Will she put on the brakes and stop (non-sexist sermon!) or will she take off? You could actually make a chalk mark on the tarmac… a specific point at which that decision has to be made... and once the pilot has made the decision then there is no turning back - and there are two possibilities… either the plane will fly… or it will crash in to the sea!
Now, in one word, what is it that makes anybody get on a plane and put themselves into the position where they are hurtling down a runway and about to fly? Trust.
We have to be prepared to trust that the pilot knows how to fly; trust that the airline is operating with integrity and honesty and attention to safety; trust that the aeronautical engineers who designed the plane had a proper understanding of the structural properties of the materials used; trust that the mechanics who have serviced the plane have been meticulous in the work they have done.
A huge amount of trust is involved.
And if we are to live a LIFE of commitment to God, which is another way of saying that we live life in friendship with God, then we have to TRUST him.
We have to trust in his goodness,
in his love, trust that he has the power to make all things work together for good; trust in all the promises that he has made to us.
I will go wherever you go.. hear again to day the words of God’s promise to you, and trusting in his goodness renew your own commitment to one another as members of the family, children of God on a journey with him.
And…
Renew your commitment to your loving heavenly father, and to our living saviour Jesus Christ,
and say to him,
I will go with you Lord…
wherever the journey leads me.