Have you ever been in the dark, like pitch black dark? It’s
so dark, blindingly dark that you can almost feel the darkness? It is
unnerving, and unnatural. It’s easy to lose our way or trip over something. In
the dark, we can become disoriented and not perceive things as they actually
are. Our fears are magnified, our superstitions are awakened and our decisions
become somewhat chaotic. Even the bravest of people at times freak out a little
in the dark.
Darkness has a tendency to affect our decisions and rob us
of hope. We scramble looking for the light switch to dispel our fears. In our
finitude we are bound to perceive our current situation as desperate and we
lose sight of the big picture. Yet in the darkest places, a single source of
light shines the brightest. The relief we sense once the light is on dispels the
despairing thoughts and refocus our eyes to the true reality we are in.
So why this discussion on darkness when we are beginning a
new series on dating and relationships? The answer is in the perception of the cultural
context we live in. The morality of today and the cultural perception on
dating, romance and sex is pretty dark, almost overwhelmingly dark. More people
are concerned about the evil of not recycling today then pornography. Every TV
show and movie produced is pumping sexual images and distorted romance into the
mainstream. Biblical views of sex and marriage are called bigotry and anti gay.
The darkness of our day can be disheartening and even cause
some to wonder “why not just give in?” Darkness perpetuates darkness, it will
never produce light. But true reality can never be seen in darkness, only the
Light will reveal the truth.
In reality people are looking for meaning, purpose, value,
love and hope. They look for it in all the wrong places and don’t realize that
pursuing the answer in darkness will only lead to more despair. Giving into the
darkness around you will only cause darkness in your heart, it will not fulfill
you but will leave you empty.
Don’t allow this momentary affliction to determine your life
choices, but look to the light for your answers. It is true, we live in the
moment and must endure the real feelings and struggles we face moment by moment
and day by day. The choice is do we give in to our fears or do we hold fast to
hope. Do you believe that God is the Author and Giver of life? He is working
even when we can’t see it.
Dark Days
Over the next several weeks we will be looking at one of the
most amazing love stories in the Bible found in the book of Ruth. It is a story
designed to be read in one sitting, but we will let the tension of the story
build over the next five lessons.
But the story of Ruth picks up in the middle of really dark days
in Israel’s history, the time of the Judges (Ruth 1:1). During this time, the
people of Israel were caught in a destructive cycle of sin and bondage, but
when the cried out to the Lord, He delivered them. But they wouldn’t learn
their lesson and would fall back into sin. Even the Judges appointed to deliver
them were not always the greatest examples of godliness.
If the time of the Judges wasn’t bad enough, our story in
Ruth opens up with Naomi losing her husband in a foreign land, Moab. Moab was a
spiritually dark land, full of immorality and even child sacrifice. Naomi’s two
boys married Moabite women, Orpah and Ruth, but her two sons died too. Which
leads Naomi to despair, understandably.
When we are introduced to Ruth, it is in the context of
really dark days for her. Her father-in-law and husband have died and her
mother-in-law is in despair. This does not seem like the setting for an amazing
love story, does it? But with God, all things are possible. He has a plan that
pierces the darkness and begins to work in ways we cannot imagine.
Life is Hard
It’s ok to admit it, life is really hard. You cannot read
Ruth 1 and dismiss the difficulty that Naomi and Ruth are struggling through.
Hours, days, months and years of wondering “why?” Not seeing the big picture or
even the light at the end of the tunnel. The darkness and despair around them
is palpable. Yet, they hold on in faith.
Your life will be hard at times. You will not see the
meaning in everything you are facing. You will experience loss that you don’t
understand. Life is hard, but God is good and you can trust Him.
The reality we live in, for most of us, is far different
then the reality we imagined for ourselves and therefore we perceive life as
harder.
- The girl you are crushing on starts dating a different guy.
- You start dating this guy who you thought was so amazing, but he took advantage of you. Once he got what he wanted he was gone.
- Your parents got a divorce and now you feel trapped in the middle.
- You trusted your friend enough to seek dating advice from them, only to find them betray your confidences.
- You sent a “special” snap to him because he said he loves you and thinks you are beautiful, only to have him screen shot it and send it around the school.
- You are struggling with same sex attraction and are afraid to talk to anyone around you.
The situations go on and on. You didn’t ask for this, you
just found yourself here in the darkness feeling all alone. Everyone else seems
to skate through life with easy, but you feel the heaviness and difficulty of
it. You need to know that everyone else is struggling too. We all put on fake
smiles to cover our struggles.
The choice you have to make is will you allow the difficulty
of life to keep you in the darkness or will you make the tough choice to pursue
the light?
Choose the Light
Ruth lost her husband and her father-in-law. Naomi told her
she had nothing left to offer her and that she should return home and remarry.
Orpah skated as soon as she got the chance. But Ruth wouldn’t leave.
But Ruth
said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where
you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my
people, and your God my God. [17] Where you die I will die, and there will I be
buried. May the LORD do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me
from you.” (Ruth 1:16-17 ESV)
Remember Ruth was a Moabite, raised in a different religion
with a different sent of moral values. But she has seen something different
with this family. She has heard the truth about Yahweh, the one true God. In
these dark days, she could have returned home to her family, her hometown, her
religion, but she chose God first.
Naomi said she had nothing to offer Ruth, no advantage for
going with her. Ruth didn’t choose God for selfish gain, she chose God because
God is enough.
When you begin to see life through the Light, through Jesus
Christ, you begin to see that the darkness of the world has nothing to offer
you but emptiness and despair. But Jesus came to bring the truth and truth will
set you free.
Godly Mentorship
When life is hard, it is important to identify a godly
person, a mentor, whom can help you navigate the dark days ahead. Think about
Naomi’s life, being in a foreign land and losing her husbands and sons, yet
Ruth saw in her something beautiful. Yes Naomi mourned and struggled with the
difficult losses, but her reaction was still different for Ruth. Ruth didn’t
reject God and Naomi’s teachings because of Naomi’s response. No, she embraced
God in the face of struggle.
The way we respond to suffering can bring glory to God. How
do you deal with your struggles? Do you trust God to get you through?
It is so important that you learn to identify godly mentors
in your life. You need to find your Naomi, your Paul, who can help you
understand who God is and what He is doing in life. When it comes to dating and
relationships, you need to find someone who will give you godly advice
consistently. Someone who will point you to Jesus.
Is Jesus enough? Even if you have to break up with that guy?
Is Jesus enough? Even though you have to wait until you are married? Is Jesus
enough when you have to skip out on the party? Is Jesus enough when…
Ruth said to Naomi, “God is enough, I will follow.” And she
did. And God worked a beautiful story in her life that has had an impact on all
of us. But now we are getting ahead of the story.
Ruth 1 teaches us that life is hard and that we need to
chose God in spite of the difficulty. God has provided godly mentors to help us
navigate these shores. Are you looking for a godly mentor? Are you learning to trust
God when life seems dark and overwhelming? Pursue the light of God’s Word and
He will work through any circumstance for your good (Romans 8:28).
“He who
calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.” (1
Thessalonians 5:24 ESV)
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