Devotional: Where You Go, I Will Go

Where you go, I will go. Where you live, I will live. Your people shall be my people and your God shall be my God. (Ruth 1:16)

Naomi had gone to Moab because of a famine in Bethlehem. While living there, her husband Elimelech died together with her two sons Mahlon and Chilion. 

When she heard that God had provided the Israelites with food, Naomi decided to go back to her home. She thus bid farewell to her daughters-in-law Ruth and Orpah, and begged them not to go with her since she could not provide them with other sons to marry. 

Orpah chose to leave her but Ruth decided to go with her mother-in-law and said, "Where you go, I will go. Where you live, I will live. Your people shall be my people and your God my God. (Ruth 1:16) 

Where You Go, I Will Go

What had Ruth seen in Naomi that made her say, "Where you go, I will go"?

This statement "Where you go, I will go" shows us that Ruth trusted Naomi as a person and she also trusted her judgment so that she was willing to leave her people and follow her wherever we went. 

This then begs the questions, "Do people trust you as a person?' and "Do people trust your judgment?"

To develop trustworthiness of this magnitude, you must rely on God by acknowledging Him so that He can direct your paths.

Therefore involve God when you are making both the "small decisions" and the "large decisions" of your life and soon people will notice that you operate under divine guidance and begin trusting your decision-making capacity.

Where You Live, I Will Live

What had Ruth seen in Naomi that made her say, "Where you live, I will live"?

This statement "Where you live, I will live" suggests that Naomi was a pleasant person to live with because that is the meaning of her name.

This is further confirmed by the fact that when she and Ruth came to Bethlehem, All of Bethlehem was excited because of them. (Ruth 1:19)

The whole town could not have been excited because of a bad person and this proves that Naomi was a good person and people were happy that she was returning to her home.

We can even see that when Naomi and Ruth began living in Bethlehem, Naomi was concerned about Ruth's well-being and she advised her on how to relate with Boaz. Thus Ruth knew that she could not go wrong by choosing to live with Naomi. 

Therefore be a pleasant person to live with so that the people you live with will not want you to leave them and those you are going to, will be happy you have come to live with them.

Your People Shall Be My People

What had Ruth seen in Naomi's people that made her say, "Your people shall be my people"?

This statement "Your people shall be my people" suggests that Naomi's people were good people - the type of people that one would like to be identified with.

We can see Naomi's people did not disappoint Ruth because of the way Boaz showed exceptional kindness to her when she went to glean in his field. 

Therefore, even if you cannot choose your kinsmen, chose to associate with people with good morals and those that someone would love to be associated with.

Your God Shall Be My God

What had Ruth learned about Naomi's God that made her say, "Your God shall be my God"?

These words "Your God shall be my God" suggest that God had proved Himself as a good God to Naomi in Moab and that is why Ruth chose Him over the gods of the Moabites even though Naomi had lost her husband and two sons while living in Moab.

God also proved Himself worthy of being served in Bethlehem because of the way He orchestrated Ruth to land in Boaz's field and eventually get married to him.

We can see that God helped Naomi in a mighty way because of her faith in Him for the child who was born to Boaz and Naomi ended up being the grandfather of King David.

Therefore chose God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and should I dare say the God of Naomie and Ruth, to be your God even if you have suffered devastating losses in your life because He knows how He can use those great losses to bring great profit to your life.

Points to Ponder

What changes do I need to make in my life so that the people around me can say to me, "Where you go, I will go"? 

What changes do I need to make in my life so that the people around me can say to me, "Where you live, I will live"? 

What changes do I need to make in the people I associate with so that people can say to me, "Your people shall be my people"? 

What changes do I need to make in my life so that the people around me can say to me, "Your God shall be my God"?

Prayer

Heavenly Father I ask You in the name of Jesus to help me so that people who interact with me say to me, "Where you go, I will go" and "Where you live, I will live". 

Help me to chose the right friends so that the people who interact with me can say, "Your people shall be my people".

Father God help me to have a relationship with You that would enable people to say to me, "Your God shall be my God". This I ask in Jesus' name, Amen.