CLOUDS OF DUST FILLED THE AIR from the throng of animals and people traveling down the road. Three women in dark robes trailed along in the back of the caravan. The sun’s hot rays beat down overhead causing the weary travelers to pant for water.
“Mother, you should rest,” One of the three women who carried a small pack with food and water motioned to a lone sycamore tree off the path a ways. “Sit for a while and have a drink of water.”
The older woman sat down underneath the shade of the tree and sighed. “Ruth, what a long journey it is to Bethlehem.”
Ruth handed a skin of water to her mother-in-law, and wiped her own brow. “A long journey, yes; but one that is worth it.”
The third woman sat quietly by the older woman. Fear and weariness was etched into her young face.
“What am I doing? Look at you my, Daughters; I shouldn’t be taking you away from your homes down this desolate road. Go back home, each of you to your own mother’s house,” Naomi wiped the sweat from her brow. “May the LORD be as kind to you as you have been to me and my sons who are now dead.”
The two other women peered down at Naomi’s mention of her dead sons---their husbands. What a tragic year it had been; filled with awful sorrow. Ruth glanced at her sister-in-law, Orpah. She used to be such a bubbly, sweet woman, but now she was withdrawn. Ruth felt pain in her heart as she thought of Mahlon, but she also remembered the LORD’s goodness and faithfulness.
“May the LORD give you another happy home and a new husband.” Naomi kissed the two younger women and began crying.
“No we want to go with you to your people.” The two daughters-in-law said to her.
“My daughters, return to your homes. Why do you want to go with me? Go back to your own homes.”
Ruth shook her head and clung to Naomi as she wept. Orpah also cried, but stood to her feet after kissing Naomi goodbye and turned back down the road in the direction they had come.
Ruth sighed as she embraced Naomi.
“Look, Ruth, your sister-in-law is going back to her own people and her own gods. Go back with her.”
Ruth’s determined brown eyes peered down at Naomi. “Don’t beg me to leave you or to stop following you,” She sucked in a breath of air. “Where you go, I will go. Where you live, I will live, your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. And where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. I ask the LORD to punish me terribly if I do not keep this promise: Not even death will separate us.”
Naomi smiled and shook her head in disbelief. “The LORD has surely blessed me beyond measure in giving me a daughter-in-law like you, Ruth.”
Ruth helped Naomi back to her feet and they continued down the dusty road to Bethlehem. The journey was long, but the two women were united together in a special way---the younger determined to serve and take care of the older the rest of her days no matter what.
