路得記 1：1-22 饑荒離開，亡夫返鄉
📝禱告重點：
🔸今天對神的發現
🔸今天自我的反省
🔸今天實踐的行動
📖經文📖
得1：1-22
1士師統治的時候，國中有饑荒。在猶大的伯利恆，有一個人帶着妻子和兩個兒子往摩押地去寄居。 2這人名叫以利米勒，他的妻子名叫拿娥米；他兩個兒子，一個名叫瑪倫，一個名叫基連，都是猶大伯利恆的以法他人。他們到了摩押地，就住在那裏。 3後來拿娥米的丈夫以利米勒死了，剩下她和兩個兒子。 4兩個兒子娶了摩押女子，一個名叫俄珥巴，第二個名叫路得，在那裏住了約有十年。 5瑪倫和基連二人也死了，剩下拿娥米，沒有丈夫，也沒有兒子。
6 拿娥米與兩個媳婦起身，要從摩押地回去，因為她在摩押地聽見耶和華眷顧自己的百姓，賜糧食給他們。 7她和兩個媳婦就起行，離開所住的地方，上路回猶大地去。 8拿娥米對兩個媳婦說：「你們各自回娘家去吧！願耶和華恩待你們，像你們待已故的人和我一樣。 9願耶和華使你們各自在新的丈夫家中得歸宿！」於是拿娥米與她們親吻，她們就放聲大哭， 10對她說：「不，我們要與你一同回你的百姓那裏去。」 11拿娥米說：「我的女兒啊，回去吧！為何要跟我去呢？我還能生兒子作你們的丈夫嗎？ 12我的女兒啊，回去吧！我年紀老了，不能再有丈夫。就算我還有希望，今夜有丈夫，而且也生了兒子， 13你們豈能等着他們長大呢？你們能守住自己不嫁人嗎？我的女兒啊，不要這樣。我比你們更苦，因為耶和華伸手擊打我。」 14兩個媳婦又放聲大哭，俄珥巴與婆婆吻別，但是路得卻緊跟着拿娥米。
15 拿娥米說：「看哪，你嫂嫂已經回她的百姓和她的神明那裏去了，你也跟你嫂嫂回去吧！」
16路得說：「不要勸我離開你，轉去不跟隨你。你往哪裏去，我也往哪裏去；
你在哪裏住，我也在哪裏住；你的百姓就是我的百姓；你的 神就是我的 神。
17你死在哪裏，我也死在哪裏，葬在哪裏。只有死能使你我分離；不然，願耶和華重重懲罰我！」
18 拿娥米見路得決意要跟自己去，就不再對她說甚麼了。
19於是二人同行，來到伯利恆。她們到了伯利恆，全城因她們騷動起來。婦女們說：「這是拿娥米嗎？」
20拿娥米對她們說：「不要叫我拿娥米，要叫我瑪拉，因為全能者使我受盡了苦。
21我滿滿地出去，耶和華使我空空地回來。耶和華使我受苦，全能者降禍於我。你們為何還叫我拿娥米呢？」
22 拿娥米從摩押地回來了，她的媳婦摩押女子路得跟她在一起。她們到了伯利恆，正是開始收割大麥的時候。
📖內容📖
弟兄姊妹平安，今日所讀的經文《 路得記 》1章1至22節，題目是「饑荒離開，亡夫返鄉」。
《路得記》是一部記載於聖經舊約中的篇章，故事背景設定在士師時代，講述了摩押女子路得因著忠誠與信心，跟隨婆婆拿俄米並最終與波阿斯結合的故事。書中展現了路得對婆婆的忠貞、對耶和華的信靠，以及波阿斯的仁慈與信實。他們後來成為以色列王大衛的曾祖父母，在神的救贖計劃中佔有重要地位。
在《路得記》第一章中，拿俄米一家遭遇連串打擊。先是居住之地發生飢荒，這是人無法控制的外在環境因素。拿俄米的丈夫以利米勒為尋求生路，帶著全家遷往摩押地寄居。十年間，兩個兒子瑪倫和基連分別娶了摩押女子俄珥巴和路得為妻。然而，以利米勒與兩個兒子相繼離世，家中只剩下三位寡婦。在以色列文化中，寡婦是應當被憐憫的群體，但失去丈夫也意味著她們可能失去祖宗產業的繼承權，可見生活有一定艱難，但按當時的規矩，必須由丈夫的兄弟娶遺孀為妻，目的是“為死人留後”，所以在拿以利米勒的家鄉可存有一絲希望。
後來，拿俄米聽說神眷顧家鄉猶大地，賜下糧食，便帶著兩個兒媳啓程返回猶大的伯利恆。途中，拿俄米體恤媳婦們的未來，勸她們回去改嫁。俄珥巴選擇離開，路得卻堅決跟隨。在第16至17節，路得說：「不要催我回去不跟隨你。你往哪裡去，我也往那裡去；你在哪裡住宿，我也在那裡住宿；你的國就是我的國，你的神就是我的神。你在哪裡死，我也在那裡死，也葬在那裡。除非死能使你我相離！不然，願耶和華重重地降罰與我。」
路得本是摩押女子，有自身的文化背景與信仰，但成為以利米勒家的媳婦後，她願意放下自己原本的信仰，歸信耶和華。可以想象，她在與拿俄米一家共同生活的日子裏，親身經歷了神的真實。儘管面對喪夫之痛，又須離鄉背井，路得仍堅定跟隨拿俄米，這必定是因她從拿俄米和這個家庭中感受到神的恩惠與慈愛。弟兄姐妹們，這提醒我們，每天的生活態度與待人接物，都會有意無意地影響他人對我們以及我們所信之神的認識。願我們一同謙卑學習，在生活中為主作見證，使別人因我們的生命見證而願意跟隨神。
另一方面，我們也可以從路得身上學習如何跟隨神。飢荒、喪偶、離鄉背井，這些都是令人沮喪的挑戰，但路得並未因此離開拿俄米。她在意志上信靠耶和華，在情感上與拿俄米相依，在行動上與她同返猶大。然而，回到猶大後，路得面臨新的挑戰。以色列人因著誡命，一般不娶外邦女子為妻。拿俄米膝下無子，無法由兄弟履行娶嫂之責，其他親屬也可能因傳統而卻步。但路得順服拿俄米的引導，一步步融入波阿斯的家族，最終成為大衛王的曾祖母——一位外邦女子竟在以色列的家譜中留名。由此可見，神的救恩並不受傳統與血緣的限制，只要人願意忠心跟隨，祂就接納，祂的恩惠與慈愛同樣臨到。弟兄姐妹們，我們是否曾因過去的際遇或信仰背景，而感到與神的關係受阻？讓我們效法路得，立志跟隨神，就必蒙祂恩惠與慈愛的眷顧。願神祝福大家。
Ruth 1:1-22 Devotion
Today’s Scripture reading is Ruth 1:1–22, and the theme is “Leaving Because of Famine, Returning Home After Loss.”
The book of Ruth is a narrative found in the Old Testament. Its story takes place during the time of the judges and tells how Ruth, a Moabite woman, followed her mother-in-law Naomi with loyalty and faith, eventually becoming united with Boaz. The book highlights Ruth’s devotion to Naomi, her trust in the LORD, and Boaz’s kindness and faithfulness. Ruth and Boaz later became the great-grandparents of King David and hold an important place in God’s plan of redemption.
In chapter 1, Naomi’s family experiences a series of tragedies. First, a famine strikes their land—an external circumstance beyond anyone’s control. To seek survival, Naomi’s husband Elimelek moves the family to live in Moab. During their ten years there, their two sons, Mahlon and Kilion, marry Moabite women, Orpah and Ruth. But Elimelek and both sons eventually die, leaving behind three widows. In Israel’s culture, widows were to be shown compassion, yet the death of a husband also meant possible loss of inheritance and security. According to Israelite custom, a brother-in-law was expected to marry the widow to “carry on the family name” of the deceased, so Naomi’s hometown still held a glimmer of hope for them.
Later, Naomi hears that the LORD has come to the aid of His people in Judah by providing food (Ruth 1:6). She sets out with her two daughters-in-law to return to Bethlehem in Judah. Along the way, Naomi, considering their future, urges both young widows to return home and remarry. Orpah chooses to leave, but Ruth clings to Naomi.
In verses Ruth 1:16–17 (NIV), Ruth says:
“Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you.
Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay.
Your people will be my people and your God my God.
Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried.
May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely,
if even death separates you and me.”
Ruth was a Moabite woman with her own cultural and religious background, yet after becoming part of Elimelek’s household, she was willing to give up her former beliefs and follow the LORD. We can imagine that, during her life with Naomi’s family, she personally experienced the reality of God. Even in the pain of losing her husband and the hardship of leaving her homeland, Ruth steadfastly followed Naomi. This must have come from the grace and love of God she witnessed through Naomi and her family.
Brothers and sisters, this reminds us that our daily attitudes and the way we treat others—intentionally or not—shape people’s understanding of us and of the God we believe in. May we humbly learn to be living testimonies for the Lord so that others may desire to follow God because of the witness of our lives.
On the other hand, we can also learn from Ruth what it means to follow God. Famine, widowhood, and displacement are discouraging hardships, yet Ruth did not leave Naomi. With her will, she trusted the LORD; emotionally, she bonded with Naomi; and in action, she returned with her to Judah. However, returning to Judah brought new challenges. Because of the commandments, Israelites generally did not marry foreign women. Naomi also had no other sons, and no brother could perform the duty of marrying the widow. Other relatives might hesitate because of tradition.
Yet Ruth obeyed Naomi’s guidance, step by step entering Boaz’s family. She eventually became King David’s great-grandmother—an astonishing honor for a foreign woman to be included in Israel’s genealogy. This shows that God’s salvation is not limited by tradition or bloodline. Whoever is willing to follow Him faithfully is accepted by Him; His grace and love rest upon them.
Brothers and sisters, have we ever felt distant from God because of our past experiences or our religious background? Let us follow Ruth’s example—determined to follow God. If we do, His grace and love will surely be upon us. May God bless you all.
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