The Love of a Friend

“Then Naomi said, “Look, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; turn back and follow your sister-in-law.” But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people will be my people, and your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord do the same to me [as He has done to you], and more also, if anything but death separates me from you.” When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she said nothing more.”
‭‭Ruth‬ ‭1‬:‭15‬-‭18‬ ‭AMP‬‬

Ruth married into the family (and faith). Naomi was her mother-in-law, and when Naomi’s son (Ruth’s late husband) died, Ruth chose to stay with her beloved mother-in-law (also widowed) even after she told her to go back to her home with her sister (who’s husband also died).

But Ruth wouldn’t have it. She said she’d go wherever Naomi went (refer back to the Scripture above). To Ruth, they were tied together like two birds of a feather.

From tragic loss to beautiful companions beyond the loss – but keeping these two widows together? That was only the beginning of what God was going to do in their lives 🙌🏻 (Please read the entire book of Ruth).

Hint: what ultimately happened next for Ruth? She gets to be part of the lineage of Jesus!

Listen, friends; we were never meant to walk this world alone.

Sometimes that is walking with our given family, or it may be our recovery family, our in-laws, and/or our faithful & true friends God places in our lives, and our brothers & sisters in Christ.

But ultimately, for me, after walking with God for several decades now, I’ve found He always brings me the people He wants me to do life with; sometimes for a season and sometimes for a lifetime, but all of these relationships have been or are collectively, my beautiful tribe here on earth.

I don’t initially know if the people He sends are only for a season or a lifetime – time is the teller there, but there are always blessings and reasons for God’s divine placement (and removal) of these “appointments on my timeline”.

I’ve mentioned this before, but God is always at work, beautifully weaving the tapestry of our lives together, and that includes the people who come and go (and stay).

So, who is your tribe? Who do you want to thank God for today? It would brighten that friend’s day if you showed them some love so go tell them too ♥️.