Ruth and Naomi became related through marriage, but it was through their suffering and faith that they became a family.
“But Ruth replied, ‘Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!’ When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she said nothing more.” Ruth 1:16-18, NLT.
From the Beyond Suffering Bible Book Introduction to Ruth
In the midst of loss and grief, we may be tempted to doubt God’s goodness.
Over the course of ten years, Naomi buried her husband and both
of her sons. This left her and her daughters-in-law, Ruth and Orpah, widowed and with few options. Both young women initially clung to the mother-in-law that they had come to love, but Orpah eventually heeded Naomi’s advice and returned to her father’s house.
Ruth made a different choice. She stayed at Naomi’s side, proclaiming her allegiance to Naomi and the God she served. Together, Naomi and Ruth found courage to trust God for their survival. As a result, the Lord brought them through their intense grief and into a safe place of promise. They also experienced the compassion and generosity of Boaz, their family redeemer, whom God used to provide for them in ways that were beyond their wildest imaginings.