In 1973 our childhood home caught fire. My younger 7 yr. old sister’s words were surprising but reassuring to our suddenly homeless family. Despite there being little possibility of returning to our home soon, she showed a resilient spirit: “When we go back, I’m going to visit my neighbors; I’m going to play with my friends,” she said with quiet determination. “My dad says we don’t have a house. And she said we are going to fix it.”
There is a place for tenacity in life, especially when it is rooted in our faith in God and love for others. The book of Ruth begins with three women bound together by tragedy. After Naomi’s husband and two sons died, she decided to return to her home in Bethlehem and urged her widowed daughters-in-law to stay in their country of Moab.
Orpah remained but Ruth vowed to go with Naomi, saying, “Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God”. When Naomi saw that Ruth “was determined to go with her,” they began their journey together.
Human stubbornness is most times originates from pride, however commitment grows from love. When the Messiah went to the cross, “He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem”. From His determination to die for us, we find the resolve to live for Him.
Truly, being determined in your faith in God can be a wonderful example to loved ones and others around you.
When have you been determined to walk in faith? Please leave a comment, I will even write you back.
See you next Sunday.
MJ