The book of Ruth opens with Naomi’s husband making the decision to relocate his family to Moab during a famine. That decision was an unwise, if not disobedient, decision. During their time in Moab, Naomi’s husband died, and her sons got married to a couple of Moabite women named Orpah and Ruth. Sometime later, both of her sons died. And what happens next, in my opinion, reveals how much she loved God. From Naomi, we discover four ways our love for God is evidenced.

Ruth 1:6-13 (ESV)

Then she arose with her daughters-in-law to return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the fields of Moab that the Lord had visited his people and given them food. 7 So she set out from the place where she was with her two daughters-in-law, and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah. 8 But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, return each of you to her mother's house. May the Lord deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me. 9 The Lord grant that you may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband!” Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept. 10 And they said to her, “No, we will return with you to your people.” 11 But Naomi said, “Turn back, my daughters; why will you go with me? Have I yet sons in my womb that they may become your husbands? 12 Turn back, my daughters; go your way, for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say I have hope, even if I should have a husband this night and should bear sons,13 would you therefore wait till they were grown? Would you therefore refrain from marrying? No, my daughters, for it is exceedingly bitter to me for your sake that the hand of the Lord has gone out against me.”

Lesson Resources:

John H. Walton, Victor H. Matthews, and Mark W. Chavalas. The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament, 2nd ed. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2000.