Then Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back, each of you, to your mother’s home. May the Lord show you kindness, as you have shown kindness to your dead husbands and to me. May the Lord grant that each of you will find rest in the home of another husband.” Then she kissed them goodbye and they wept aloud and said to her, “We will go back with you to your people.” But Naomi said, “Return home, my daughters. Why would you come with me? Am I going to have any more sons, who could become your husbands? Return home, my daughters; I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was still hope for me—even if I had a husband tonight and then gave birth to sons— would you wait until they grew up? Would you remain unmarried for them? No, my daughters. It is more bitter for me than for you, because the Lord’s hand has turned against me!” At this they wept aloud again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung to her. “Look,” said Naomi, “your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back with her.” But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.” When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.
—Ruth 1:8-18

~~~~~

Where You Go, I Will Go
By Jennifer Kane

It is not the tear that proves love,
but the steps that follow after.
Not the voice choked with sorrow,
but the hand that stays,
though free to leave.

Orpah kissed and turned—
and there was no shame in that.
But Ruth clung,
and in that clinging,
her faith spoke louder than farewells.

Do not urge me to go back,
she said,
not with trembling lips,
but with feet already moving
in Naomi’s direction.

Where you go, I will go—
not because I feel brave,
but because I’ve chosen to be.
Where you stay, I will stay—
not for comfort,
but for covenant.

Your people, my people.
Your God, my God.
This is not emotion.
This is allegiance.
This is faith with dirt under its nails.

The road ahead was barren.
The future, uncertain.
But Ruth walked it
with a promise on her tongue
and a God she’d yet to fully know—
because faith
is often forged in motion,
not in the warmth of feelings.

And so she became
a chapter in redemption.
Not because she wept—
but because she walked.

~~~~~

Scripture: Ruth 1:8–18

Emotions are powerful. They can stir up love, grief, longing, and fear. In Ruth 1, we see a moment overflowing with emotion: Naomi weeps with her daughters-in-law. They all grieve their shared loss and the uncertain road ahead. Naomi urges them to return home. Her words are kind and sincere, expressing the heartbreak of her situation. Orpah and Ruth both weep. Both love Naomi. Both feel the weight of the moment deeply. And yet, when the time came to act, only Ruth chose to stay.

This passage teaches us a vital truth: our feelings are valid, but it is our actions that define our path. Orpah felt sorrow, but she returned to Moab. Ruth felt the same sorrow—and more—but she clung to Naomi, committing herself not just to Naomi’s people but to Naomi’s God.

What sets Ruth apart is not how much she felt, but how she responded. She didn’t allow fear, uncertainty, or comfort to dictate her future. Instead, she made a faith-filled decision: “Your God will be my God.” That declaration marked a turning point. Ruth stepped into the lineage of the Messiah because of a single act of faith, not because she felt more love or grief than Orpah, but because she acted on that love and chose loyalty, sacrifice, and faith.

Naomi, too, felt overwhelmed. She believed the hand of the Lord was against her. Yet she chose to return to Him. Her feelings didn’t paralyze her. Instead, they led her to action—returning home, to God’s people and God’s promises.

Am I allowing my emotions to lead me toward or away from God?
Are there areas where I’ve felt deeply but failed to take a faithful step?
Like Ruth, what actions can I take today that reflect trust in God, even if the way forward feels uncertain?

Today, let your feelings speak—but don’t let them steer. Feel deeply, but choose wisely. Let your faith direct your feet, like Ruth, who walked into God’s greater plan not by how she felt, but by what she chose to do.

~~~~~

Lord, thank You for the gift of emotion—how it connects us to You and others. But help me remember that obedience, not just emotion, marks true discipleship. Give me courage to act in faith, especially when it’s hard. May my trust in You lead me to decisions that honor You. In your name, Jesus, I pray, amen.

May 13 2025