Today’s author is Prince of Peace’s Sacred Settlement Intentional Neighbor, Mischa Beary.
“But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to turn back from following you. For wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you stay, I will stay. Your people shall be my people and your God my God…” Ruth 1:16
The story of Ruth and Naomi can remind us that the Lord seeks what seems lost, binds up what was broken, redeems and makes new the past and gives us a new time and place. In the book A New Time & Place by Jack Hayford he writes: “The Lord is calling each one of us to a new time and a new place. And how we respond to His call will not only determine the character of our days here on earth, it will determine our very destiny.”
Naomi, Elimelek and their two sons Mahlon and Kilion, had left their home in Bethlehem to live in Moab because of famine. They had left Gods appointed inheritance for His people. Surely it wasn’t an easy decision, with stress and anxiety of the situation Elimelek took things into his own hands, out of Gods promise to seek solutions on his own terms. In Moab Elimelek died and Mahlon and Kilion took Moabite wives for themselves: Orpah and Ruth. Ten years later Mahlon and Kilion had also died. How tragic for Naomi to lose her husband and two sons! I can’t imagine the grief and sadness she must have felt. The Lord saw her pain and used her story as a beautiful story of redemption!
Isaiah 62:5 “I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick.”
My Mom and I had a broken past, but in my heart, I couldn’t let her go. I knew that the pain she put me through was the pain she had endured. She needed to see and feel something different from what she had gone through most of her life. She was going through her fifth divorce and living on a friend’s bed with only a few items she could fit into her truck. We would talk every other day, and those talks were sacred. My Mom began asking me about Jesus, how to have a relationship with Him, how to pray, how to read the Word, she was surrendering her life to Him. She was seeking and the Lord was answering through all our small conversations. To this day I am humbled and amazed!
“And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13
I began to wonder, why can’t my Mom come live with us (James, Avia, Bella and I)? Excitement was rising in me! Av could have a Grandmother again and get to know her! Mom could come with us everywhere- come to group church, meet new friends, make and sell her art for Artcrawl, we could do so many things together, and we could be family again! I truly had faith the Lord would redeem us and beyond- to more family members- her other children as well!
A few months later, my Mom made her big journey from Alabama to Minnesota, close to a 25-hour drive. We met her at a truck stop in Hudson, WI, because of how exhausted she was from driving. As we approached the truck stop, James, Avia and I could hardly sit in our seats, we couldn’t wait to hug and embrace Mom/Grandma and welcome her home! I hadn’t realized how sick she was and how much she had been physically suffering. She could hardly stand up; her eyes were yellow and her legs were swollen. My Mom had liver disease, heart failure and sepsis. My heart shattered in a sad and happy kind of way to finally see her face to face. I was sad she was in so much pain and suffering physically and happy because she made it and she was in a safe place now, and we could take care of her! Jesus made a way for her to make it, it was a miracle. We hadn’t seen her in 10 years, so to sit next to her was an honor and a joy I’ll never forget on our ride home to our apartment.
In the two weeks we got to spend together after she arrived, was years’ worth in the short time. To witness my Mom changed and smiling was a gift that I had always hoped for her. James would make her laugh and bond with his Mother in law, Av would read her books and Mom and Av got to draw together and Bella would cuddle up next to her to comfort her. We tucked Mom in every night, and every night she’d say “I love you guys and I am ready to see Jesus.”
“For God so loved the world, that He gave his only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16
On her birthday: July 31st Mom passed away. The Lord had allowed my Mom to come to a new place and a new time. A place of love and forgiveness, wholeness and redemption, family and peace. Just as Ruth left all she knew, she walked in faith and followed the Lord to a place of promise. Ruth became part of Jesus’ lineage. From Obed to Jesse to David and ultimately to Jesus- the Savior of the whole world!
“..If we have received His life- gift or love and forgiveness, within that new birthing we also received a seed of His Kingdoms breakthrough power as well. Yes.. the power to snap the confining ropes of our past and redeem us to eternal life… the power to break the grip of death and bring us to heavens eternal joys..” A New Time and Place by Jack Hayford.
Father,
I thank you that you have knitted us together in our mothers womb. You know our lying down and getting up and You have given us the Holy Spirit who leads us to our eternal home in You! Thank You that You dwell with us and You come and make Your home in us! May we seek You always and find You in every moment of our days! In our struggles may You remind us of the hope we have in You. In our joys may we rejoice and praise You, for everything good comes from You! May we say You are our great God- Gadol Elohai! May we invite others who need You to come and follow You as You lead us, the Shepherd of the sheep! Thank You Father for redeeming Your people by the Blood and Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
In Jesus Holy name we pray,
Amen