Paul Zach, Jessica Fox and IamSon sing, ‘Lead Me, Guide Me’.

I am weak, and I need your strength and power

To help me o’er my weakest hour;

Help me through the darkness Thy face to see,

Lead me, O Lord, lead me.

Lead me, guide me along the way;

Lord, if You lead me, I will not stray;

Lord, let me walk each day with Thee.

Lead me, O Lord, lead me.

Today’s reading is from the Book of Ruth.

Ruth 1:1,3-6,14b-16,22

In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land, and a certain man of Bethlehem in Judah went to live in the country of Moab, he and his wife and two sons. But Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, died, and she was left with her two sons. These took Moabite wives; the name of one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. When they had lived there for about ten years, both Mahlon and Chilion also died, so that the woman was left without her two sons or her husband.

Then she started to return with her daughters-in-law from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the country of Moab that the Lord had had consideration for his people and given them food. Then they wept aloud again. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.

So she said, ‘See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.’ But Ruth said,

‘Do not press me to leave you

or to turn back from following you!

Where you go, I will go;

where you lodge, I will lodge;

your people shall be my people,

and your God my God.

So Naomi returned together with Ruth the Moabite, her daughter-in-law, who came back with her from the country of Moab. They came to Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.

At the beginning of this story an Israelite woman named Naomi has been widowed. Her two sons have also died, leaving their foreign wives as widows as well. What are these three grieving women to do? Take a moment to get a feel for the situation that they find themselves in.

One of the women, Orpah, decides to return to her father’s family. That wasn’t unexpected in the culture of the time. But, surprisingly, the other one, Ruth, leaves her own home and family behind to travel with her mother-in-law back to Israel. She explains, very simply “Your people shall be my people, and your God my God”. What do you make of Ruth’s actions?

In coming back to Bethlehem in this way, Ruth will become one of the ancestors of Jesus. What does knowing this add to your appreciation of the story?

In hearing the passage again, listen out for Ruth’s words. Are they the kind of thing that you might find yourself wanting to say to Jesus?

Ruth 1:1,3-6,14b-16,22

In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land, and a certain man of Bethlehem in Judah went to live in the country of Moab, he and his wife and two sons. But Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, died, and she was left with her two sons. These took Moabite wives; the name of one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. When they had lived there for about ten years, both Mahlon and Chilion also died, so that the woman was left without her two sons or her husband.

Then she started to return with her daughters-in-law from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the country of Moab that the Lord had had consideration for his people and given them food. Then they wept aloud again. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.

So she said, ‘See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.’ But Ruth said,

‘Do not press me to leave you

or to turn back from following you!

Where you go, I will go;

where you lodge, I will lodge;

your people shall be my people,

and your God my God.

So Naomi returned together with Ruth the Moabite, her daughter-in-law, who came back with her from the country of Moab. They came to Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.

You might, as this prayer draws to a close, want to use Ruth’s words here to speak with Jesus. Or perhaps the story prompts something else that you want to say to him.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be

World without end

Amen