Sometimes You Have To...

     

There are times when we have to leave.  Circumstances come about in our lives that require us to leave the people and places that we are familiar with.  In these cases, it is not about the grass being greener on the other side of the fence.  It is more of a situation in which you are existing in a grassless place that won't sustain you.  In these cases, staying means certain death.  If your dreams and aspirations are dying because of where you are...if your inner spirit is dying because of where you are...if danger is always looming over you where you are...then, yes, leave. Sometimes we have to leave.

      There are other times, though, that you have to go back. You may not want to deal with it, but it's true.  There are certain situations in our lives that require us to leave for a time. Then, after a while, God sends us back home.  Sometimes your entire purpose for leaving is for you to go out and acquire something that you need to take back to where you came from. 

      In the Bible there is a story about a woman named Ruth. Ruth was the daughter-in-law of a lady named Naomi. Naomi and her husband lived in Bethlehem Judah, but a severe famine hit their town. Staying home would mean starving. They moved to Moab. After a while of living there, it happened that Naomi's husband died. Then her only two sons died also. Only Naomi and the widows of her sons remained. For a time this new place sustained her, but now everything around her was dying. She couldn't stay in that place any longer. It was time to return home. It's hard to go back home when you have nothing to show from your leaving. Naomi was empty and bitter.  In spite of her shame, she returned home.  That's not the end of her story.

     Naomi didn't return alone. One of her daughters in law, a Moabitess woman named Ruth, insisted on leaving her home to go live in Bethlehem with Naomi.  Like Naomi, Ruth left the familiarity of her hometown and braved unknown outcomes.  It was a good choice.  In Bethlehem, Naomi connected Ruth with a family member that helped them rebuild their lives.  Ruth married that man and they had a child. That child was a great grandfather of King David and David was a forefather of Mary, the mother of Jesus.  My God.  These ladies probably never even knew the impact their leaving home had on the world and, equally important, the cruciality of Naomi's return home. Had Naomi never left Bethlehm, her son would never have met and married Ruth. She and Ruth would never have developed their close relationship.  Had Ruth never left Moab, she would never have met and married Boaz and given birth to Mary's predecessors. Like we said, sometimes you have to leave. 

     We also said sometimes you have to return.  Had Naomi not returned to Bethlehem from Moab, her entire purpose for leaving would have been negated.  When she returned home, she thought she had come back empty and broken.  Little did she know that she carried with her a key component of the world's destiny.  Sometimes you just have to go back home.  There could be something that people there need from you. There could be something that you are preordained to provide.

    Lastly, sometimes it's hard to tell which way to go, but the Bible says that God orders the steps of believers.  So, if you are contemplating leaving or thinking about returning, pray that God would make his will for the direction of your life clear.  When he leads, trust him enough to follow.  He will never steer you wrong. 

Scripture:
Psalm 37:23  The steps of a righteous man, are ordered by the Lord...

Prayer:
Lord, if it is your will for us to leave from where we are or to return to where we once were, your will be done.  Please order everything concerning it. Amen.