There was a woman in the Bible named Naomi. With her husband, she had two sons, and was blessed to see them both marry. But a famine in the land brought great loss, as Naomi’s husband and both of her sons died young. Out of pure loyalty to her mother-in-law, Ruth vowed to stay with Naomi through her period of grief – and beyond.
Naomi and Ruth moved from Moab to Bethlehem. We pick up the story in Ruth 2. “Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, ‘Let me go to the fields and pick up the leftover grain behind anyone in whose eyes I find favor’” (2:2). Through Ruth’s efforts she found, not only the necessary grain to live on, but a husband in Boaz.
Here’s the lesson. God has provided all that you need – for life and recovery. But you must still do the work. Had Ruth stayed home and just “trusted God,” she would have missed out. She put her faith to work. The result was that with Boaz, Ruth would have a son, who would become the grandfather of King David. And from her lineage would be born the Messiah.
Recovery Step: God has provided. But you still must engage the process. Go where he leads and do what he says. As with Ruth, only eternity will bear witness to all that God will do.
