Just for Ladies – by Camille Stahl

Today’s Passage – Leviticus 24 – 25 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers also read – John 17 – 18; Proverbs 12; Psalms 61 – 65

Scripture Memorization for January – Proverbs 4

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Ephesians 4:32

Read last year’s post on this date – “Let’s Get Real”,  by Melissa Dilley

Read a great article by Pastor Chappell – “You Pick Five”

A Study of the Women of the Bible

Orpay,  A Woman Who Made The Wrong Decision

“And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her mother’s house: the LORD deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me.”  (Ruth 1:8)

“And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her. And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law.”  (Ruth 1:14-15)

Orpah will always be known as the woman who left her mother-in-law.  But to Orpah, she thought she was making the right decision in a heartbreaking situation.  At first Orpah followed Naomi with Ruth back to Israel.  But when Naomi explained to them that there was no hope for them to remarry, Orpah decided to go back to her family in Moab.  To Orpah it was the logical thing to do.  She might of thought it would be easier to find someone to marry there.  It just seemed to make more sense then going to Israel.  It makes me wonder why Naomi told her daughter-in-laws to go back home.  It was a heathen nation.  Maybe because Naomi knew that they would only be able to live happy lives in Israel if they had the chance to choose their new country voluntarily.  Maybe Naomi knew it wasn’t just a choice of a place to live, but a decision of being followers of God or not.  What ever the case, we know that Ruth  married and was mentioned in Christ genealogy.  Orpah, was never heard of again.  Orpah took the wrong road.

Sometimes the logical solution to a problem isn’t God’s solution.  We may be asked to do something that just doesn’t make sense to us.  When we start down the path that God asks us to go down, we start to feel doubt.  Stepping out on faith is hard to do when we look at it from our view. But He is in control and is all knowing. We must trust Him.  Orpah trusted in worldly security. Ruth trusted in God.  Which road will you choose?  It’s up to you.

Thank You

1 John 5:13