Naomi: Ruth 1-4

Ruth 1:3-5 "Now Elimelek, Naomi’s husband, died, and she was left with her two sons. They married Moabite women, one named Orpah and the other Ruth. After they had lived there about ten years, both Mahlon and Kilion also died, and Naomi was left without her two sons and her husband."

Sjoe, hoe hartseer. Ek kan dit nie eers imagine nie. En ek wonder hoe dit vir 'n ouer vrou in daardie tyd moes wees om alleen agter te bly. Geen lewensversekering wat uitbetaal nie, geen pensioen nie ...

Ruth 1:16-18  But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.” When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.

Hierdie is een van my gunsteling stukkies, waar Ruth (sonder enige waarborge) besluit om vir Naomi te volg en met haar te partner. Ek het dit selfs in my wedding vows gebruik toe ek vir Jacques gesê het: "Ek gaan waar jy gaan." Ek LOVE haar groot commitment en die groot kans wat sy vat, sonder om te weet wat daarvan gaan kom. Dis baie braaf!

Dis 'n lekker lang storie vol events (veral vir Ruth), maar wat vir my uitstaan van Naomi, is hoe die Here haar net bo verwagtig kom red uit haar ellendige situasie, en dan nog meer bless as wat sy ooit kon droom. Dis so 'n mooi boodskap vir vrouens dink ek, herinner ons dat die Here ons bron en ons beskermer is, al is daar niemand in die wêreld wat vir ons veg nie sal die Here ons nie teleurstel nie.

Ruth 4:16-17  Then Naomi took the child in her arms and cared for him.The women living there said, “Naomi has a son!” And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.

Ruth 1:17-18 So Ruth gleaned in the field until evening. Then she threshed the barley she had gathered, and it amounted to about an ephah. She carried it back to town, and her mother-in-law saw how much she had gathered. Ruth also brought out and gave her what she had left over after she had eaten enough.