Day 2

Ruth’s Loyalty to Naomi

from the Ruth reading plan


Ruth 1:6-18, Psalm 136:1-4, Psalm 146:5-10, Ephesians 2:11-13

BY Beverly Berrus

As the daughter of immigrants from Asia, a previous ex-pat in the Middle East, and a friend of refugees, I’ve seen how significant cross-cultural moves can be. In Ruth 1:6–18, we find two vulnerable, seemingly insignificant widows with bleak social standing starting the trek to a new country. What begins as a story of survival becomes a display of God’s covenant faithfulness to His people. 

Naomi and Ruth’s story resembles Israel’s, as they seek to survive a famine, make an exodus to the promised land, and leave behind Moab and its gods. Ruth leaving Moab pointed back to Abraham, who left his people and gods to follow the one true God (Genesis 12:1–4).

Again and again in today’s reading, the phrases “return” and “go back” amplify God’s clarion call to repent. A hardened Naomi encouraged her daughters-in-law to repent backward, away from God. But humble Ruth repented by turning to a people, place, and God who weren’t her own (Ruth 1:16–18). The story of Ruth teaches us that hardships are opportunities to turn to God in faith.

Most of us haven’t had to uproot our lives for survival like Ruth and Naomi, but we were all born spiritually displaced. Whatever passport you hold, neighborhood you live in, or income bracket you belong to, you were a citizen in the land of the spiritually dead. But God didn’t leave us there. Like Ruth, we’ve received the gracious help of Jacob’s God (Psalm 146:5). 

We were without hope and God in this world, “foreigners to the covenants of promise” until Jesus brought us near (Ephesians 2:12–13). He turns us away from our old ways to cling to him. He gives us a new heart, new citizenship, new people, a new home, and the power to keep turning to Him every day.

God used Ruth’s loyalty to Naomi to fulfill His covenant promises—promises to crush the power of sin and death, bless all nations, provide a perfect Redeemer, and establish the reign of a forever King. Ruth’s simple obedience displays God’s tender heart for widows, the oppressed, the hungry, and the sojourner (Psalm 146:7–9). As His people, we must strive to have the same heart.

Ruth vowed that only death would separate her from Naomi. God’s Word says nothing can separate us from the love of Christ—not affliction, distress, famine, nakedness, danger, and sword (Romans 8:35–37). This should comfort us as God’s exiles who are sojourning through this weary world. May our hearts flood with praise for His good and steadfast love which sent a Redeemer to make the God of Ruth our God as well.

Post Comments (101)

101 thoughts on "Ruth’s Loyalty to Naomi"

  1. Heather Noble says:

    Ruth was relentless in her caring for her mother in law. She clung, she refused to leave. God, please help me not to take the easy way out of caring for others.

  2. Tami Nelson says:

    God takes hard trying times and uses them to bless us beyond what we can even imagine. I love this reminder.

  3. Talitha Anoniem says:

    We wonen Neede to be like Ruth

  4. Rebecca Delice says:

    Ephesians 2:13 “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” ❤️

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