My daily devotions are taking me through the entire Bible again this year and after finishing the book of Judges with all of its violence, disobedience and chaos, the book of Ruth is like a breath of fresh air. Set in that same period when the nation of Israel was in such turmoil, Ruth is the story of love, loyalty and faith within one family. It also has special meaning for me because on December 7, 1963, Carol and I stood at the altar of a small Baptist church in Baldwin, Missouri, and before God and those assembled we exchanged our vows from the book of Ruth: “Whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.” (Ruth 1:16-17)
Love and loyalty are precious gifts to be given and received with thanksgiving and praise to God. Ruth’s love and loyalty to her mother-in-law, Naomi, after the death of both of their husbands took her to Bethlehem where she met Boaz. She was rewarded by God with a loving marriage to Boaz with descendants that include not only King David but also the King of Kings, Jesus Christ.
God still rewards love and loyalty. The story of Helen Keller, who was born deaf and blind, is a story of love and loyalty between Helen and her teacher. Their relationship has been immortalized in the play and movie “The Miracle Worker”. Anne Sullivan’s love and loyal determination not only brought light into Helen’s dark, silent world, but it also brought Helen’s wonderful insight and perspective into our world. Helen went on to become the first deaf and blind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree and her life and her words have long been an inspiration to me. One story that I love is when Anne tried to tell Helen in sign language about God and she immediately responded in signs, “I know that”.
As I read the book of Ruth and reminisce about our wedding vows, one of my favorite quotes from Helen Keller echoes in my mind: “What we have once enjoyed we can never lose. All that we love deeply becomes a part of us.”