Ruth 3:1
I cannot begin to say how much I enjoy reading the book of Ruth! It is such an inspiring story of love, heartache, despair, and redemption all at once in only four little chapters! There is so much to be learned from its pages, and this verse particularly touched my heart. I feel it is so touching how Naomi, who was not technically Ruth’s blood relative, was so concerned for Ruth’s future that she gave Ruth specific instructions on how to find happiness and a secure future for herself. How much more so should we be concerned for our own daughters’ futures?
This story resonates with me because I can relate greatly to it. I never really gave it much thought until recently. Naomi lost her husband and sons and found herself alone with her daughter-in-law facing an uncertain future. She was not only burdened with what she might face herself, as a woman who was alone, but she was also concerned with her daughter-in-law. She wanted her to find peace and rest and to be happy and secure in her own life.
When my husband passed away, one of the things that concerned me the most was how I was going to continue to rear my youngest daughter who was living at home and my two daughters who were still in college. They so much needed the guidance of a father in their lives, and I knew I was not as strong of a counselor in the things of life as my husband would have been. Would I be enough? Would I be strong enough to help guide my daughters through all of the many difficult decisions they would need to make as young ladies? I cannot say how many times I thought about this.
In the book of Ruth, Naomi was a woman of sorrow and bitterness because of the loss of her husband and sons who then became a woman who found her way back to God and her roots. She knew it would be hard, but she found her way back to what really mattered; she sought to make sure that Ruth was cared for and that she would have a happy future. In Ruth 3:1, she says, Then Naomi her mother in law said unto her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee? Should not this be our greatest desire as mothers? We should desire and seek to help our children find the happiness that only comes from seeking God and following His will for their lives!
One of the things about which I was concerned after my husband passed away was that my daughters would find the man who God had for them. Naomi gave Ruth instructions on how to subtly seek after Boaz. Did she know that it would turn out all right? She could not have been completely sure, but she knew that Boaz was a good man and that God was in it. Did Ruth know exactly what she was doing? No, but she trusted her mother-in-law and followed her guidance.
It is so very important that we, as mothers, give our daughters the right guidance when it comes to finding their mates for life. We should point them in the right direction, help them to seek the Lord’s guidance, and then pray every single day that he will come along in God’s timing. We must teach our daughters not to settle for just any man. We must teach them to be patient, and we should encourage them along the way to pray for the Lord’s will and to not be afraid to follow through with it.
Certainly Ruth was nervous when Naomi told her to lay at the feet of Boaz; I would never have told my daughters to do something such as that in this day and age! However, we need to nurture in our daughters a trust in God that will help them to follow His will for their future mates. This training should start when they are young and should not be put off until they are of an age when they want to be in a relationship and to get married.
Yes, ladies, let us seek rest for our daughters. Let us look out for their happiness and future well-being, but let us stand back so that God Himself can handle the details.
by April Hernandez
