Today, we return to the first chapter of Ruth to take a closer look at Naomi’s other daughter-in-law, Orpah. Like Ruth, she has lost her husband and so faces an uncertain future, and, like Ruth, she initially chooses to go with Naomi rather than return to her mother’s house.

However, in the end, she returns to Moab and we hear nothing more about her.

With the benefit of hindsight, we are impressed by Ruth’s devotion and courage and might see plenty to criticise in Orpah, but Orpah’s decision to go back is perhaps understandable. Although she loved Naomi and wept at the thought of leaving her, the thought of travelling to a foreign land where she knew nobody and where they would have to rely on Naomi’s relatives for support must have been terrifying. Any one of us might have made the same decision.

What interests me is the way she made her decision. At first she promised to stay with Naomi but, as reality dawned about what they might face, she changed her mind. Orpah said one thing but did another. She was unable to follow through on her promise.

Orpah spoke the words but did not live them. She professed her intention but did not possess it fully. She faced a challenge that we still face today – will the words of faith, trust and belief that we have professed fall away when trouble comes, or will we truly possess them despite any circumstance?

Ruth’s promise to Naomi was more than words and more than an emotional reaction in the moment. She really followed through on her commitment and has been remembered through all the long centuries that have followed. When we truly possess faith, rather than just profess it, God can do amazing things.

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NEWBOLD BAPTIST CHURCH