by Pastor Wes Mosteller
Have you noticed that people, even in Christian circles, are in a relationship only for what they may receive from them? I have discovered that some people abandon relationships when it looks as though it will cost them something.
In the Bible, Ruth—who refused to abandon her relationship with her mother-in-law—and Naomi understood biblical covenant. Both women saw extremely difficult days and their relationship endured.
Naomi, along with her husband and their sons, fled their land of Judah because of the great famine. They settled in Moab.
While in Moab, Naomi’s husband died. Her two sons married Moabite women, Ruth and Orpah. Then, another hardship pressed into Naomi’s life. Would you believe that her sons died while in Moab as well?
By this time, Naomi was advanced in age. She decided to make the trip back to Judah because there was no one left to care for her in Moab. Before Naomi began her journey home, she told her daughters-in-law to return each to their mother’s house.
All of the women are weeping and in great distress. Again, Naomi told the women to return to their own families. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law and left. However, Ruth clung to her (Ruth 1:14).
