Fearless DevotionalPrimjer

## "Around the Bend" Do you ever wish you knew what the future held? Ruth knows her vow to stay with Naomi, her mother-in-law, is a huge, life-altering decision. But she has no idea if it will turn out well. Israel is a foreign land to her, and as a Moabite, she may not be welcome. She has lost her husband, and in Bethlehem, she won’t have many prospects. Plus, Naomi is not in a good frame of mind. First, her husband died, and then both sons. She thinks God has abandoned her. But Ruth refuses to leave her. Surely life is not going as either woman anticipated. Have you ever asked, “How did I get here? How did it come to this? Why is this happening?” We know Ruth is a heroine. But she doesn’t. She is just trying to do the right thing. If you knew someone would later write your story, is there something you would be doing differently right now? Ruth’s story, like all those in the Bible, helps us with our own. We can learn empathy; we can see what works—or doesn’t work so well, without having to experience it firsthand. We can learn how to prepare for turning points in our lives. We have the choice to give in to fear, or to follow where love and loyalty lead. Ruth entrusts herself to God and steps into the unknown, and He delivers with blessings far beyond what she could have imagined. Later, we learn that Ruth’s son is the father of Jesse—the father of David—and in the line of Christ. Quite a legacy. You may not be exactly where you’d hoped right now in your life, but God has a way of blessing those willing to go wherever He goes, no matter where He leads. ## Reflect Think of epic stories and the people in the Bible who have influenced your decisions most. ## Respond 1. Are you getting stuck on what ifs, and letting fear stop you? 2. Whom do you relate to most in the Bible? Why? 3. Can you recognize difficulties as an indication of God working in your life?