Part 11
“I will give you treasures of darkness and hidden riches of the Secret Place, that you may know that I, the Lord, Who calls you by your name, am the God of Israel.”  Isaiah 45:3

Crossroads:  A crucial point especially where a decision must be made.
Decision:  A determination arrived at after consideration:  conclusion; promptness and firmness in deciding:  determination.
Seek/Sought: akin to L “sagus” meaning prophetic, GK “hegeisthai” meaning to lead.  To go in search of:  look for; to ask for:  request; to try to acquire or gain:  aim at; to make an attempt:  try.
(Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary)

Been there?  We learn it as infants, yet it is still one of the hardest things we have to do as humans:  making a decision.  My grandson Joshua is at that stage of his life where he is learning to make choices, or decisions. At the tender age of ten months, they are not difficult choices like adults have to make, but for him this is hard stuff!  He thinks of it as more of a game, yet it is teaching him a very important life skill.  His mommy or daddy will hold up two of his toys, one in each of hand.  They ask him, “Joshua, which one do you want?”  He studies it so carefully, looking from one toy to the other.  With his little furrowed brows, and his eyes darting back and forth, he then reaches for one of them. Yes!  There is success and satisfaction as he sticks it into his mouth to happily chew on his treasure.

Naomi found herself at a difficult crossroad.  “Now Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died, and she was left with her two sons.”  Ruth 1:3  We do not know how long they had been in Moab before Elimelech died, and we do not know how old their sons were at the time of his death.  We do not know what Elimelech’s trade was and if Naomi and her sons were able to carry on with that business.

We do know that in the ancient world, there was almost nothing worse than being a widow.  As determined in Part 10 we also know that the place they were going to live, Moab, was a hostile nation toward Israel, their homeland.  And we also know that in this time of history, God’s law provided for the nearest relative of the dead husband to care for the widow, yet Naomi had no relatives in Moab.     

We do know that friendly relations between the two countries were discouraged.  “No Ammonite or Moabite or any of his descendants may enter the assembly of the Lord…For they did not come to meet you with bread and water on your way when you came out of Egypt…Do not seek a treaty of friendship with them as long as you live.”  Deut. 23:3-6  Discouraged to be friends, but probably not forbidden to live in the other’s land.  The decisions Naomi was left with as a widow with two children must have been heart-wrenching. 

Well, the boys grew up, and each took a bride…Moabites. As was the custom at this time in history, they most likely all lived under the same roof:  Mom, sons and daughters-in-law. Talk about a blended family!  What a mixture since the Moabites were a race of people who were forbidden to worship at the Tabernacle; a race of people who did not know Naomi’s God.  And then there are three women with, most likely, very different ideas---all under the same roof!  Who did the cooking?  Who did the shopping?  Who did the laundry? Were they shared household tasks?  Who was the Spiritual leader of the home?  Naomi or her sons, with their God?  Or the Moabite women with theirs?  This I know for sure:  There were probably a lot of compromises, tense moments, and these two boys were probably thrust into the middle of a lot of situations!

And then another tragedy, another opportunity for crossroads:  “After they had lived there about ten years, both Mahlon and Kilion also died, and Naomi was left without her two sons and her husband.”  Ruth 1:4b-5  Now she is left with two Moabite women who were in the same circumstances as herself:  widowed and no relatives of their husbands in sight to care for any of them.  Devastating circumstances, at the least.

Crossroads and decisions---they are part of our lives every moment of every day.  Some are major; most are minor.  Where do you turn?  Where do you go for help?  Who or what do you seek?

“…acknowledge the God of your father, and serve Him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts.  If you seek Him, He will be found by you…”  I Chronicles 28:9 

“I have sought Your face with all my heart; be gracious to me according to Your promise.”  Psalm 119:58

“…those who seek Me find Me.”  Proverbs 8:17b

“Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him while He is near.”  Isaiah 55:6

“You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.”  Jeremiah 29:13

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”  Matthew 7:7

“…He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.”  Hebrews 11:6b

“This is what the Lord says, ‘Stand at the crossroads and look;
Ask (seek) for the ancient paths,
Ask (seek) where the good way is,
And walk in it,
And you will find rest for your souls.’”Jeremiah 6:16a
  That the King of Glory may come in!