INTEGRITY OF HEART

Following your heart with integrity can increase your influence with others.

John C. Maxwell

https://b7e76eddddpai1az99yk112t01.hop.clickbank.net

“Don’t make me leave you, for I want to go wherever you go, and to live wherever you live… but death do separate us. ”

Here’s a touching story of Ruth in the bible, a story about God and how He restores those who look to Him with hope.

Ruth has made a decision that changed her life and the lives of others. The story begins when Naomi, a godly woman, loses her entire family (husband and two sons) in dark times of famine. But God restored her losses back through the presence of Ruth – her daughter in law. Ruth followed Naomi, her mother-in-law, following the death of her husband to care for her.

At that time, a man named Elimelech left his country because of a famine and moved to a nearby land. With him were his wife, Naomi, and his two sons, Mahlon and Chilion. 

During the time of their residence there, the man died and Naomi was left with her two sons. These young men, Mahlon and Chilion married girls Orpah and Ruth. But later, both men died, so that Naomi was left alone, without her husband or sons.

She decided to return to her native land with her daughters-in-law, for she had heard that the Lord had blessed his people by giving them good crops again.

But after they had begun their homeward journey, Naomi changed her mind and said to her two daughters-in-law, "Why don't you return to your parents' homes instead of coming with me? And may the Lord reward you for your faithfulness to your husbands and to me. And may he bless you with another happy marriage." Then she kissed them, and they all broke down and cried.

"No," they said. "We want to go with you to your people."

But Naomi replied, "It is better for you to return to your own people. Do I have younger sons who could grow up to be your husbands? No, my daughters, return to your parents'homes, for I am too old to have a husband.. Oh how I grieve for you that the Lord has punished me in a way that injures you."

And again they cried together, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, and returned to her childhood home;

but Ruth insisted on staying with Naomi.

" See," Naomi said to her," your sister in law has gone back to her people and to her gods; you should do the same."

But Ruth replied, "Don't make me leave you, for I want to go wherever you go and to live wherever you live; your people shall be my people, and your God shall be my God; I want to die where you die and be buried there. May the Lord  do terrible things to me if I allow anything but death do separate us. "

When Naomi saw that Ruth had her heart set on going with her, she gave in.

And so the two of them traveled on together to the homeland of Naomi, and the entire village was stirred by their arrival. 

*The Book of Ruth