Choices Matter

What do you do when Life Happens?

Ruth 1:6–18 KJV 1900

6 Then she arose with her daughters in law, that she might return from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how that the Lord had visited his people in giving them bread. 7 Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters in law with her; and they went on the way to return unto the land of Judah. 8 And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her mother’s house: the Lord deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me. 9 The Lord grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept. 10 And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people. 11 And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? 12 Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have an husband also to night, and should also bear sons; 13 Would ye tarry for them till they were grown? would ye stay for them from having husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the Lord is gone out against me. 14 And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her. 15 And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law. 16 And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: 17 Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me. 18 When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her.

What is the measure of life?

We call it life

Life happens

++Not as a quest

++Not as a destination

++Not as a series of accomplishments

++When we are faced with a choice

The story of Ruth serves as a reminder of the significance of choice.

The book of Ruth is called a story of redemption. In it, we are overwhelmed by the hardship and difficulties of there life. We are pushed to ask God, why would a story like this be here for us to read and study. The answer is simple for many of us will never know that power and prestige of a King David or prevail against walled cities like Joshua or lead a people from bondage like Moses. In the story of Ruth we see ordinary people with issues of loss, loneliness. In this story we see the frustrations of their life as they seek to live out their faith with an unspoken yet real question. "Where is God in this"

True redemption is always connected to a choice

Deuteronomy 30:19 KJV 1900

19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

Joshua 24:15 KJV 1900

15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

Choices Matter

One choice

++Can determine your future

++Can make a difference

++Can be the game changer

Choices can be

++Rational

++Relational

Both are found in our text

Ruth 1:6 KJV 1900

6 Then she arose with her daughters in law, that she might return from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how that the Lord had visited his people in giving them bread.

This was a rational choice

Rational choices

++Are linked to priorities

++Are goal oriented

++Based upon reason

++Based upon history

Some people get there value by looking back.

This family lost the men in their life

Men were

++The providers

++The protectors

What do you do when you loose everything?

Ruth 1:6 KJV 1900

6 Then she arose with her daughters in law, that she might return from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how that the Lord had visited his people in giving them bread.

They looked to

++Moab for help

Moab was

++Familiar ground

Vrs 4 tells us that her daughters were from Moab and they had lived their ten years.

Moab was

Familiar ground

++The hometown of Orpah and Ruth

++A place of possible provision

++Not the place of their provision

Ruth 1:7 KJV 1900

7 Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters in law with her; and they went on the way to return unto the land of Judah.

Naomi chose

++The logical route

++The rational route

In Moab provision was possible but not accessible.

After ten years

++Living there

++Serving there

++They were abandon in their time of need

Where is God in this?

Ruth 1:8 KJV 1900

8 And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her mother’s house: the Lord deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me.

Naomi starts the journey home

She tells her son’s wives

++Go back home

++They have been good to her

++Get married and find rest

Ruth 1:9 KJV 1900

9 The Lord grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept.

She did not give them a choice

Ruth 1:14 KJV 1900

14 And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her.

Orpah

++Was sad about leaving

++Wept about leaving

++She still left

She made

++The rational choice

++The logical choice

++She went home

Ruth recognized another option

Ruth

++Valued her connection to Naomi

++She clave to Naomi

++She wouldn’t let her go

Ruth 1:15 KJV 1900

15 And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law.

Even when no choice is given

++We always have a choice

++We have unspoken options

Relational choices

++Are about connection

++Are forward looking

++Are connected to hope

Ruth 1:16–17 KJV 1900

16 And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: 17 Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.

Ruth 1:18 KJV 1900

18 When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her.

Ruth declared

++We are connected

++We are family

Though Naomi had lost

++Her husband

++Her sons

++Her legacy

Ruth saw in her

++A future

++A destiny

It all started with a choice.

Choices Matter

Deuteronomy 30:19 KJV 1900

19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

Orpah’s choice

++Took her back

++Took her to the known

Ruth’s choice

++Took her forward

++Was a choice of faith

Hebrews 11:6 KJV 1900

6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Why is faith so important?

Job 14:1 KJV 1900

1 Man that is born of a woman Is of few days, and full of trouble.

In this life

++We will have trouble

John 16:33 KJV 1900

33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

In this life

We will have trouble

++We will have tribulation

++There will be some tears

Psalm 30:5 KJV 1900

5 For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

I am so glad that trouble don’t last always

2 Corinthians 4:8–10 KJV 1900

8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; 10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

2 Corinthians 4:18 KJV 1900

18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.