But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. 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.” – Ruth 1:16 Ruth was committed to Naomi and to Naomi’s people – despite Naomi’s miserable state, and maybe even in part because of her loss and great needs. Ruth proclaimed faith in the one true God, despite her own ungodly Moabite background. The Gospel of Jesus Christ transforms unrighteous individuals into a holy community. Like Naomi, we each still have baggage. And like Ruth setting out on the road with her mother-in-law, we each face having to lug baggage for others. And this is a glorious reality: Jesus unites us to love one another – to love our neighbors as ourselves. As Naomi headed back towards Bethlehem, Ruth was at a crossroads. Here in the Delta, we know something about crossroads (ask the people of Clarksdale about bluesman Robert Johnson who sang about what allegedly happened to him at the crossroads of Highways 61 and 49). In faith, Ruth chose to go where Naomi went and chose to have Naomi’s people be her people and Naomi’s God to be her God. With the faith that God had given her, Ruth chose to love. We can imagine that they were perhaps singing as they headed out from the crossroads in faith on the road to Bethlehem, together. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. – Ephesians 5:18-20 One of the features of Reformed Theology is the blessing that comes from worshiping together. The Bible tells us that there is one God and we are called to worship Him together. Deuteronomy 6:4-7, known as the Shema (“Hear” in Hebrew) summarizes this well for Jews and Gentiles, Israelites and Moabites, alike: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” Did you notice that the Shema commands us to share these truths with others? With your children? With your neighbors? Verse 9 says to write them on the doorposts to your house, so that all can read and know this glorious truth: The Lord is one! Which therefore means that His people are one when they worship the one true God. Is this what you have been doing? Like Ruth the Moabitess, have you joined with those who know the one true Lord? Are their people your people? Is their God your God? Here in the Delta, we can get confused about who are our people. We hear so often people talking about looking out for their people. We can be cajoled into thinking that people of similar backgrounds are our people, all the while ignoring Scripture’s call for us all to be God’s people, as a community. This Lord’s day, make a commitment to worshiping alongside others. Join with those who have heard the call: Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one! The celebration of Christmas has just reminded us that Jesus came for all. His journey to the cross leaves you at a crossroads. Turn to Him by turning to His people. Address one another in psalms and spiritual songs, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
