Have you ever stopped to consider how your worship is shaping you? Psalm 115:8 teaches us that we become like what we worship. This is a sobering truth, and we must take this warning seriously because we all worship. The question is not whether you worship but what you are worshipping. The object of our worship is a major choice—it determines our destiny.
Like us, Ruth and Orpah had a choice to make. Naomi encouraged both of them to return home “to your people and your gods.” Orpah chose to go back home and to her gods. What god do you think this was? Ruth, however, would not be dissuaded. She had found Naomi’s God, and there was no way she was going back. What they worshipped significantly changed the course of their lives. What God or god are you worshipping?
Two daughters, two choices. Which god is your God? Ruth and Orpah chose their god; our choice is similar—what will you decide? The object of our worship is a major choice—it determines our destiny.
This story is a bright spot in the dark time of the Judges. God was working despite the prevalence of evil. If you turn back a page, you can see how things were. No matter how thick the darkness, you can know that God is at work.
Last time, we went through Ruth 1 but skipped the most popular passage. Verses 16-17 may be the most quoted verses from Ruth. Today, let’s spend some time in this passage. There is so much information we don’t have—we wish we had more details of the story.
Take the time to read Ruth 1:14-17.
Two Daughters
Orpah and Ruth were Moabite women who had married “foreign” men. What did they see in Mahlon and Chilion? Were they accepted by their friends and family? Or was it the opposite—were they made fun of and whispered about in public?
Both of them began the journey back to Bethlehem with Naomi. After some travel, Naomi urged both of them to go home. She encouraged them to do what she was doing—leaving all that was familiar. She wanted to spare them from what she had experienced.
Two Choices
First, we have Orpah’s choice.
Orpah went back—to what was familiar, her family, her faith? We don’t know what drew her back. Naomi does say “to her gods,” so this seems important.
She raises a big question for us: Who or what is your god? What do you worship? The question is not “Do you worship?” but “What do you worship?” God created us to worship. No matter your culture or experience, people from every corner of the globe worship something.
The Moabites worshipped Chemosh. There are many references to Chemosh in the Old Testament, but none of them are positive. We don’t know for sure if this was Orpah’s god, but we know her god started with a lowercase “g.” If your worship is not directed to THE God, it will be directed to a god.
John Wimber once said, “Show me where you spend your time, money, and energy, and I’ll tell you what you worship.” This is convicting and aligns with the biblical principle that we become like what we worship. Psalm 115:8 warns that if we worship a god that cannot see, hear, or speak, we will become like it. In contrast, 2 Corinthians 3:18 teaches that as we behold the glory of the Lord, we are transformed into His likeness.
Then we have Ruth’s choice, accompanied by one of the most powerful commitments ever recorded.
Ruth 1:16-17 captures commitment beautifully. The more you think about it, the deeper it gets. This passage is often quoted during weddings, though it was not originally spoken in a marriage context. Later, the townspeople said Ruth was better than seven sons—perhaps because of this commitment to Naomi.
“Your God, my God.” It seems this was already true for Ruth. Through her interactions with Naomi, she realized that what she had before did not compare. She had found the Lord, and there was no way she was going back. Think about this total expression of commitment.
Perhaps such commitment was rare in their time, as it is in ours. Individualism and narcissism leave little room for commitment to others. Almost everywhere you see deep commitment in relationships, Jesus is behind it—whether in a 50-year marriage or lifelong friendships.
You cannot make statements like Ruth’s often. Life is short, and we cannot commit to everything. It is wise not to over-commit.
Think about your commitment to Christ. Our culture tends to view commitment as “manning up and living right.” The gospel tells us we cannot be committed enough—our works will fall short. But Christ understands our humanness and weakness.
Paul reflects on this in 1 Corinthians 15:9-11, and James 2:14-19 highlights the tension between faith and works. Take time to rest in God’s grace.
Conclusion
Review the two daughters and their two choices. Orpah returned to her “god” (lowercase g), while Ruth stayed with Naomi. Ruth knew whom she wanted to worship, and the path didn’t matter. She gives us a great example of commitment—one that reminds us of our own obligations.
Are you married? Have you committed to following Christ? These are significant commitments.
Let’s end where Paul ended: Because of God’s grace, we are motivated to serve Him.
