Preschool
With God all things are possible (Matthew 19:26).
Following God to the Unknown
Memory Verses
Primary
With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible (Matthew 19:26).
Junior
And Jesus looking upon them said, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible (Mark 10:27).
Background Scripture: Ruth 1-2
Lesson Scripture: Ruth 1:8-22
Introduction
God has wisely chosen to leave the future almost entirely unknown to most people, yet it is not his will that we blindly stumble our way through life. Rather, He has said, “I will guide thee with mine eye” (Ps. 32:8).
Looking through the eye of faith, together with trust and obedience, we follow God into the unknown. Paul said, “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:14). This prize is clearly seen and grasped by the eye of faith. The result of this faith is vision for today, an exemplary life of commitment to God, and rest and assurance in his care.
Key Verse
By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went (Heb. 11:8).
Lesson Scripture
Ruth 1:8 And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her mother’s house: the Lord deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me.
9 The Lord grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept.
10 And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people.
11 And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?
12 Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have an husband also to night, and should also bear sons;
13 Would ye tarry for them till they were grown? would ye stay for them from having husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the Lord is gone out against me.
14 And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her.
15 And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law.
16 And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:
17 Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.
18 When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her.
19 So they two went until they came to Bethlehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved about them, and they said, Is this Naomi?
20 And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me.
21 I went out full, and the Lord hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the Lord hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?
22 So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest.
Studying the Lesson
The setting of this lesson is after the death of Joshua and before the kings. This time is illustrated by Judges 21:25: “In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.”
Against this dismal background comes the account of Ruth. It is one of commitment, conversion, and loyalty. Responding to Naomi’s urging to stay in her native country and go back to her childhood home and gods, Ruth makes a commitment that has inspired countless people in the succeeding ages. In this commitment she is leaving everything that she has ever known; she is going to a land where she has never been, embracing a people she does not know, and committing her life to the true God of heaven, of whom she was formerly ignorant. Her commitment to Naomi was equally inspiring: “If ought but death part thee and me” (Ruth 1:17).
God’s love and grace is revealed in the following chapters of this story. Like Ruth, we must commit our lives to Him in unconditional surrender and follow Him to experience his goodness.
After suffering sadness and the loss of everything, God blessed Naomi and Ruth’s return to Bethlehem far beyond what they could have imagined. Through the Israelite law of the kinsman redeemer, Ruth was joined in marriage to Boaz. David, Israel’s greatest king, and Jesus, the Savior of the world, would come through the lineage of this faithful Moabite young lady.
Practical Truths for Today
Man was created “a little lower than the angels” and crowned with “glory and honour” (Heb. 2:7). Despite the exalted position that God gave him in creation He also placed limitations upon man, one of these being a foreknowledge of the future. “In order to keep us from unnecessary cares and worries, God, . . . has so ordained that we cannot see into our future in detail.” 1
At best, life is uncertain, and we often ponder what is the right way to go. Nevertheless, according to the laws of nature we can anticipate certain happenings that are the result of cause and effect—sowing and reaping. There are many unknowns that can bring disappointment, heartache, and distress. The unbeliever and the carnal Christian fortify themselves against the unknown with intellect, human reasoning, and following the advice of the experts. The accumulation of wealth, power, and influence becomes a security in which they trust. This approach is like building on the sand and will not stand the storms of adversity.
The children of God, on the other hand, surrender their lives and their future into the hands of a kind, heavenly Father. They understand that the future is largely unknown, yet they are convinced that only God can lead them safely down the path that as yet is shrouded in darkness.
Although we may not clearly see the way forward, God gives us enough vision and light for the present. This vision includes a right way of living that has spared many of the troubles and heartaches that engulf the world around us.
Faith will determine if we follow and how we follow. Faith will follow God through the strait gate and along the narrow way. If faith falters, we become susceptible to following a way that seems right but is a snare (Prov. 14:12). Faith leads us beside the still waters and through the green pastures. It guides us through the valley of the shadow of death and believes in God’s goodness and mercy no matter the circumstances (Ps. 23). The heroes of faith mentioned in Hebrews 11 did not see the future with the natural eye but with the eye of faith. They were able to see that city whose builder and maker is God, and it shaped their lives.
Young Christians start down a path that is unknown to them. Their primary guidance will come from the Holy Spirit, their parents, and the Word of God. They need the nurture of their schoolteachers, Sunday school teachers, ministers, and extended family. Jesus told Peter, “Feed my lambs” (John 21:15). Are there malnourished lambs in the fold today?
In our youth years, it is imperative that we firmly place our hand in God’s hand. Some of the most important decisions of life are made during this time. Direction for marriage and establishing a livelihood needs to be prayerfully sought for. In this season of life, God often calls us to a deeper consecration and relationship with Him.
We live in a rapidly changing world. Many view the social, economic, and political changes of the past few years with some consternation. The established biblical norms of marriage, gender identity, and the sanctity of life are being attacked. However, it is not in God’s plan that his children live in fear. “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Tim. 1:7).
Trusting God is a walk of faith that becomes more precious as we experience it in our lives. To daily place our lives in God’s care and keeping brings us the comfort and security we need to face the challenges of our time. Let us follow God into the unknown, not in a blind commitment but with a vibrant, living faith.
Questions
- What is God equipping us with to face the challenges of our time?
- How does faith differ from the power of positive thinking?
- Is faith the absence of anxiety, or does faith make anxiety manageable?
- 1 Reuben Koehn, Selected Editorials, p. 15
Source: COGICM Daily Bible Readings (Daily Bible Readings, PO Box 124, Glenn, CA 95943).