RTW 2024

In the days when the judges ruled in Israel, a severe famine came upon the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah left his home and went to live in the country of Moab, taking his wife and two sons with him.

Ruth 1:1

"Better to be hungry in the will of God than to have a full stomach and be out of His will." - Warren Wiersbe

To do so, he had to hike through the desolate Jericho pass, through the Judean wilderness near the Dead Sea, going across the Jordan River, into the land of Moab. This was a definite departure from the Promised Land of Israel, and a return towards the wilderness from which God had delivered Israel hundreds of years before. These were clearly steps in the wrong direction.

In the days when the judges ruled there was a famine in the land, and a man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons.
Ruth 1:1 (ESV)

Sojourn

• A temporary stay; travel with the intent to return.

Elimelech and Naomi sinned by leaving the Judah and the security of the brethren to seek refuge in enemy territory. Their stay was supposed to be short.

We often 

• Stay longer than we intended to stay.
• Become involved in things we wouldn’t have been involved in.

A sojourn… a short stay in the wrong direction will always

• Cause us to compromise
• Cost us more than we can imagine

The lesson here:

• Life can be unpredictable and difficult, therefore, it is extremely important that we stay in the protection and provision of the Lord. The wilderness - the famine is safer for us than enemy territory.
• God has a perfect plan for His children. His plan includes difficulty and unpredictability as well as faithful love, protection, provision, and joy.

Isn’t it interesting that we aren’t told how Naomi’s husband and sons died?

Don’t sojourn away from God. Stay tucked under His wings of faithful protection.