The faith to leave the Old for the New Part 1

​The faith to leave the Old for the New

One of the boldest decisions Naomi and Ruth made was choosing to leave the past behind and move forward in faith. Naomi could have remained in Moab, consumed by her losses, and Ruth could have stayed in what was familiar. Instead, neither of them dwelt on what had been. They responded to what God was calling them into (Ruth 1:6–7). In doing so, they lived out the truth Paul would later express in Philippians 3 “forgetting what lies behind, reaching for what is ahead, and pressing on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” 

Naomi had lived in Moab for about ten years, but Bethlehem had been her true home for much longer. Though she carried memories of her family, Moab had become a place of sorrow, the land where she lost her husband and both her sons. For her, leaving Moab meant leaving grief behind. In that sense, departing was painful, but also necessary and even relieving. 

For Ruth, however, the cost was far greater. Moab was her homeland. It held her family, people, culture, heritage and identity. Yet she chose to forsake all of that, declaring “Your people shall be my people and your God my God.” What was easier for Naomi was immensely costly for Ruth, yet both women chose faith over familiarity and the future God had for them over the sorrowful past. 

For Ruth, this decision meant leaving behind everything she had ever known except Naomi. People often move in search of greener pastures, but Ruth’s journey was not driven by any visible promise. There was nothing outwardly appealing about Naomi, Bethlehem, or the future that awaited her. Yet Ruth chose to stand beside Naomi in her sorrow, guided not by circumstance but by wisdom, virtue, and unwavering devotion.

Their turning was ruled by faith rather than emotion. Faith became visible through movement. They did not merely talk about returning; they set out on the journey. What followed was more than a physical relocation. It was an emotional and spiritual passage, marked by surrender, trust, and obedience to God’s leading.

Ruth did not walk into prosperity but into poverty, into emptiness and apparent hopelessness. Her decision was not rooted in what she could see, but in faith. This is the path every follower of Jesus is called to walk: not by what our physical eyes perceive, but by trusting the unseen promises of God (2 Corinthians 5:7). However, it’s not easy for everyone to make this journey. Orpah could not see beyond the despair and pain before her, and the journey with Naomi no longer seemed worth the sacrifice. Her choice was understandable by human standards, but faith calls for more than what seems reasonable.

The cost of leaving family. 

Ruth had a secure and familiar life in Moab. Had she returned, she could have gone back to her family, found another husband, borne children, and built a stable future with little uncertainty. Naomi urged Ruth to return to her maternal homes, where she would be welcomed and cared for (Ruth 1:8–9). Life there promised comfort and acceptance, far more than what awaited them with a grieving mother-in-law.

In the ancient Near Eastern world, widows often relied on their family for support, protection, and the possibility of remarriage. Marriage provided security and social stability, making it one of the main ways to ensure a widow’s future. For Ruth, returning to Moab would have been the safe and obvious choice.

By contrast, following Naomi to Israel meant stepping into the unknown. Ruth faced the real possibility of remaining a childless widow for life, and the likelihood of an Israelite marrying a Moabite was slim (Ruth 1:12–13; Deuteronomy 23:3). Her decision to move to Israel was not motivated by personal gain or security, but by love. Ruth’s desire was simply to remain with Naomi, to care for her, and to provide for her needs (Ruth 1:16–17; 2:11). Although the death of her husband released Ruth from the law of marriage, she remained steadfastly devoted to Naomi, honoring her mother-in-law with faithful obedience.

All of this makes Ruth’s journey to Bethlehem both bold and sacrificial. She walked forward without knowing what God had prepared for her. In His mercy, the Lord provided a kinsman-redeemer, Boaz, who showed kindness not only to Ruth but to Naomi and the entire family (Ruth 2:20; 4:9–10). Ruth began her journey unaware of this goel, trusting God without seeing the outcome, and in time, God revealed the fullness of His provision.

Journeys in those days were long, dangerous, and physically exhausting (Ruth 1:7). The road from Moab to Judah stretched nearly fifty miles, making travel both uncertain and perilous. The emotional cost of leaving her family and homeland to settle in a foreign land was real and heavy. Yet, in the pain of turning away from her former life, Ruth encountered a divine purpose unfolding before her.

By leaving the old, her home, her family, and her security, Ruth stepped into the new God had prepared. Her faithfulness reminds us that leaving the familiar for God’s calling is never easy, but always worth trusting.

In the next part, we will continue to explore the remaining costs Ruth paid as she walked into God’s redemptive plan. 

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