GodChicks

• Holly Wagner
• Jan 31, 2012
• Category: relationships
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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)

This is a verse about relationships.

Most of us know about the importance of having a relationship with God. Out of our God-encounter, everything else in our life springs up.

And most of us would understand the importance of having a strong, passionate, committed relationship with our husband.

But this verse, (which, I find interesting is often read at weddings) is about a friendship. And more than just a casual friendship, it is a covenant…forever, kind of one.

Ruth is making a powerful statement. Thousands of years later, you and I know the amazing end of Ruth’s story, and how her commitment to Naomi was essential in all that would come her way. But in this moment she had no idea of the future ahead of her. It was a risk.

She made a determination to spend the rest of her life wherever Naomi was.

One of the phrases around our church that has become foundational is, “doing life with each other.”  This means we don’t just come to church on Sunday and then do the rest of our life alone. No, we have baby showers. We are present at each other’s births and deaths. We drive hours to have dinner together. We pray for each other. We laugh and we cry together. We don’t always agree, but we forgive each other and make it through the hard times together.

The people you and I do life with will in many ways determine the course of our life. In our very transient culture, staying connected with people might be difficult…but it is so worth it. I have some women in my life that I have committed to forever. That means no matter where they live, what season of life they are in or the challenges we face, I will do the work to stay connected.  I have given these people permission to speak into my life. To challenge me when I need it, and to hold me accountable to God’s call on my life. This means, that to them…my life is an open book. Yes, it is risky. Because they see the not–so-good parts of me. But I can’t imagine doing my life without them.

How about you?