Lesson One • Rooted
Devotion #1: God at the Center
James Mann
In the world we live in today, a devoted family is not as ordinary as it once was. Sadly, there are so many different things outside of our family that pull us in different directions from one another. We are all selfish by nature and we want to pursue our jobs, hobbies, friends, and other things that pique our interest. While not one of these things is terrible, when it pulls you away from the family that God has called you to, it is a sin.
The second half of Ruth 1:16 appropriately says, “For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.”
I want you to take a moment and think about families that you know. We can all think of one that is constantly struggling internally. Maybe you feel like you are that family. Typically, what you will find is that the reason there is this struggle is that God is not at the foundation of the family; therefore, you do not see Him throughout the entirety of the structure. I do not know if Ruth fully knew what she was saying when she said, “And your God my God.” This proclamation caused the beginnings of a relationship centered around God and she did not even fully understand that.
I would love to sit here and write about how I have a perfect relationship with everyone in my family. Not one person does. Within my immediate family, you can see that God has a strong position. My parents have raised me in the way they feel God has called them to, and I attempt to honor them daily. Once you start taking steps out to my extended family, you will begin to see fractures in certain places. There are no roots in God that will keep it strong. The further you move out the more you see families deserting one another. It is heartbreaking to see.
Naomi made it clear to Ruth that she no longer had anything to offer this young lady. She has no children and no husband. Naomi begs Ruth to return home. Ruth shows her loyalty and faithfulness to Naomi by staying and you begin to see so many blessings flow. I want you to take a moment today and evaluate why you are committed to your family the way that you are. Is it because they have something to offer you or is it because God is found in the center of it? If your answer is not the latter, I want to challenge you to take those steps to root your family in Him.