Facebook groups are (generally) awesome. ⁣

A normal occurrence, no matter what kind of group you are part of, is for someone to post details about their complicated or tricky situation and then ask for advice. ⁣

I’m sure Ruth would get comments like⁣

“Your mother-in-law sounds so sweet! Give her a big hug and say goodbye!”⁣

“Set your boundaries. Being homeless and starving isn’t something you should ever settle for.”⁣

“You realize you will have NOTHING if you go with her, right? Why is this even a question?!”⁣

It made absolutely no logical sense for a widowed woman to accompany another widowed woman, especially when the younger could return to her home and find care and sustenance. ⁣

But Ruth chose to stay with Naomi and travel back to Bethlehem. ⁣

Why?⁣

It was basically a death sentence. ⁣

Or at least a wish to be poor and starving forever. ⁣

Ruth explained, “Thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God”. (Ruth 1:16)⁣

Here, Ruth reveals that she is completely converted to the God of Israel. ⁣

She’s all in. ⁣

I don’t think she ever would have actually asked for advice in a Facebook group anyways. ⁣

It wasn’t an option, no matter how reasonable it seemed, to stay behind. To return to her old life. Old traditions. ⁣

To just pretend that this whole thing had never happened. ⁣

Ruth couldn’t do that. ⁣

She was too converted, and she was willing to endure whatever hardships came her way as a result. ⁣

What conviction!⁣

What commitment. ⁣

What love. ⁣

Where is our conversion to the Lord?⁣

Will we follow Him anywhere He takes us?⁣

Even when it doesn’t make sense. Even when everyone on Facebook would tell us it’s ridiculous. ⁣

Why did Ruth go with Naomi?⁣

And why do you stay with the Lord?⁣

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Ruth’s Facebook advice first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

I had this question come to my mind recently, and it has completely reframed how I, an already devoted Christian, have seen some issues in my life.

Do I really, really believe that following commandments, keeping covenants, and living by certain principles will make me a better person?

Or do I sometimes think that I know better?

We talk a lot about this idea of having the law “written upon our hearts”.

Really believing Jesus with our whole heart.

Jeremiah taught the same idea:

“But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.” (Jeremiah 31:33)

But what does it really mean to have the law, the commandments, our covenants, written in our hearts?

I think it means being able to wholeheartedly answer that first question with a resounding YES.

Believing that 5 more minutes of being in the scriptures and communing with God is better for my life than 5 more minutes of sleep.

Trusting that taking that first awkward step toward reconciliation is better than sitting in contention.

Knowing that turning off that TV show will be better for my soul than the few fleeting moments of entertainment.

Hoping that attending the temple will far outweigh anything else I could be doing during that time.

I would bet that the majority of people “know” with our minds that it’s good to keep the commandments.

It’s good to follow God’s law and keep our covenants.

But Jeremiah is encouraging us to think…

Do we REALLY, deep down, in our hearts, believe that life is better with Jesus?

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Better with Jesus? first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.