IRRATIONAL OR PROVIDENTIAL?

Ruth 1:1-6;11-18; 1 Samuel 9:3-27; Romans 8:28 ; Hebrews13:5 ; Isaiah 55:8-9 

I’ve always wondered what it feels like to move; to completely change my living conditions. I am devoid of such an experience and it shouldn’t come as a surprise that I long to have my own apartment where I get to start from scratch : new neighborhoods, shopping for furniture, coping with my own echoing voice in the house and the freedom that comes with owning my personal space and yet the circumstances underlying the move of Elimelech’s family was nothing short of disastrous. Famine: which forced them go into the land of Moab, a land which was forbidden from appearing on a  passport stamp belonging to any person from Judah. The cursed land of Moab, the land that came to be due to the sins of Noah’s daughters. The land where all idolatry thrived and what’s worse, their practices of sacrifice to their god- Kemush? How would they think of going there? Have I painted a picture to exemplify the distaste towards this land? I am sure you get why all these questions are running through my mind. It must’ve seemed preposterous and yet that was the turning point of their lives.

Much as I would sometimes like to join the argument some theologians bring to the table arguing that Elimelech should’ve just stayed put and instead waited on God, seeing as to how those that remained behind during the famine survived, I am drawn to a different revelation. As I read through these pages, my empathetic side was stirred up as I attempted to assume the position of Elimelech; he was the man of the house and the family’s survival and sustenance utterly depended on him. Logically speaking, if you were aware of a land forthcoming with food and fruits while your own was facing the threat of  barrenness, would you fold your arms and wait doing nothing? Bishop TD Jakes described providence as the timely preparation for future eventualities and highlighted that providence will always make sense of the nonsensical. 

Irrational decisions (at least in the sight of others) that we make, are sometimes God’s way of positioning us in the paths of our destiny even when it only seems we are being forced to act out of necessity. 

God will often create losses in our lives to get us moving. Loss in the form of famine, death, betrayal, or literal loss itself; like the lost donkeys in the case of Saul which positioned him for anointing (1 Samuel 9:3). Had there been no famine, Naomi and Elimelech wouldn’t have left for Moab, Ruth would’ve never crossed paths with Mahlon and she would’ve never met Naomi. How then  would she have gotten back to Bethlehem to meet Boaz and further the generation that led up to Jesus? There really isn’t anyway to be certain that our moves will be a sure play but we will never know unless we move. 

We have to rest on the possibility that even when we are at loss or between a rock and a hard place, we stand the chance of experiencing divine visitation and unprecedented providence.

I am like Naomi sometimes; I try to fit people into boxes by specifying the manner in which their presence in my life will be appreciated but more than that I sometimes allow my limitations , concocted in my mind, to push people away from me; I make the choice for them driven by my own logical reasoning. Vs 11 “Turn back my daughters, why will you go with me? Are there still sons in my womb that they may be your husbands ?” Boaz was a relative of Naomi and she had given Ruth a husband, though not technically from her womb. Being a blessing to people isn’t always configured in how we see or imagine. We won’t always know how we will impact their life and this was made manifest based on Ruth’s irrational decision of clinging to Naomi, making the greatest promise of commitment (Ruth 3:16-18 ). The familiar can rob us of our destiny; Oprah, though having walked with the people of God still went back to the old and familiar. When situations seem to make sense, we should know we are either near or about to encounter a life changing moment. It is then that we should REFRAIN FROM OBEYING LOGIC and wait on God’s leading.

Running against the current is what I presume it will feel like when we move with (or toward) the flow of the nonsensical/irrational. Ruth clung and didn’t listen to all the voices screaming “Return to Moab” and Elimelech went into a foreign land not knowing what would come of it. All these choices being paradoxical yet divinely orchestrated for the ultimate glory and honor of God.

In the irrational, there is providential power at work.

You are light and you are so loved. Stay anchored and keep His light shining through.