Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Don’t Die in Moab! by Sharon Acoff Frazier

Sharon Acoff Frazier March 22 at 10:28pm Reply


Ruth 1:6-7 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. 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.
A lot of people focus on Ruth and Boaz when they read the book of Ruth. But the real story of courage is in Naomi. Yes Ruth and Orpah had lost their husbands, but Naomi lost a husband and two sons! At a pivotal point Naomi makes a courageous decision. If you will allow me to take a little license and put words in Naomi’s mouth: Naomi decided: “I’m not going to be paralyzed by my grief! I’m not going to mourn myself to death in Moab. I won’t die in Moab! This is not where I belong!”
Naomi put her grief aside and decided to return to her homeland of Bethlehemjudah in hopes of being provided widow’s support by the kindness of her friends or even better have a near-kinsman redeem her husband’s property. Yes, Ruth should be commended for not leaving her mother-in-law but Naomi should be APPLAUDED for making a decision to keep moving even in her grief and dire circumstances.
Many of you are going through right now and I say to you, “Don’t die in Moab!” Continue to keep it moving while waiting on God to either change your situation or give you peace about it. There are times when we must stand still and there are times to keep on moving. If you’re in a storm keep moving and eventually you’ll move out of the storm.
DON’T DIE IN MOAB!
God bless you real good! Love ya!
Mama Sharon