Recently, preaching on Ruth 1, I came across this answer of Ruth to Naomi:
“Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.” (Ruth 1:16-18)
There are some good principles for marriage we can gain on commitment from Ruth’s answer (and these are gleamed and inspired by Daniel Block’s excellent commentary on Ruth):
1) Ruth’s answer contains encouragement to resist all pressures to break the relationship. In our day and age, when problems come, we are encouraged to cut our losses and divorce. Ruth’s example here, though, encourages us to stay devoted no matter what we face.
2) Her answer speaks of a commitment to another person for life. Ruth wasn’t pursuing some temporary arrangement. She says, “Where you die, I will die and there will I be buried.” This is the kind of commitment we need to exhibit in marriage.
3) Ruth speaks of relations to the other family. How often have you thought that your in-laws were less than what you dreamed. Ruth’s breaking of the life she knew for a life with Naomi speaks volumes. In laws are a gift from God to your life. God blesses you with additional family in marriage. Ruth had a commitment to cling to them.
4) Ruth is aware that the promises of commitment she makes are before God. God was there when you promised to love your wife for richer, for poorer, till death you part. Ruth calls God to witness and asks God to execute vengeance if she doesn’t keep her word. Breaking vows isn’t a trifling thing.
Ruth and her example have much to say to us, then, about what our commitment is, in marriage. Therefore, allow God’s Word to inspire you.