Ruth 1
What really matters?
If you are meeting early in the day, ask everyone to look in their bag and find today’s activity. Ask what things they think they might pack in their bag if you had to leave home?
If you are meeting later in the day, ask everyone what they packed in their bags:
- What did they think were the most important things?
- Why do you think Ruth chose Naomi’s God to be her God too?
Explain that while we are all together this week, we are going to think more about the story of Ruth from the Bible. Each day we will hear from Ruth. She will tell us about what she was thinking and feeling as lots of strange and unsettling things happened to her. Today Ruth is telling us how she is getting on, as they come near the end of their journey to Bethlehem.
Each day there will be a very short monologue written from Ruth’s perspective. You can simply have someone perform this as part of your video conference call or someone could film it for each day in advance, using different locations (there are suggested locations with the script. You can then share it as part of the conference call.
The script is available to download in the Downloads box below.
Spend some time asking some “Would you rather” questions. We’ve provided some suggestions below. Try and take the group from general questions to Bible based questions. The rule of the game is you must choose one thing or the other, you can’t say “both”. Open up the conversation by asking each other why you made the decision you did. If you are a small group you can just take turns in answering, but for larger groups you might want to split into smaller groups
Would you rather:
-
- Have 3 feet or 3 hands?
- Only be able to whisper or only able to shout?
- Stop time or travel in time?
- Wrestle a bear or an alligator?
- Read a book or watch a film?
- Camp in a tent at the beach or on a mountain?
- Own a ship or a plane?
- Have been on the ark with Noah or crossed the Red Sea with Moses?
- Be in the stable when Jesus was born or at the cross when he died?
- Have been in the crowd when Jesus fed 5000 or in the boat when he calmed the storm?
- Sit and listen to Jesus talking or make a meal for him to eat?
- Have stayed in your country of Moab or gone with Naomi to Bethlehem
Explain that in today’s first chapter from Ruth she had to answer a very important “would you rather” question – was she going to stay where she had always lived or go with Naomi to a different country and worship her God. It was a big decision, deciding to follow God is! At this point invite someone to explain why they have made the decision to follow God and if they had to leave anything behind to do that? Ask them in advance so they have time to prepare.
Explain that because Ruth stuck with God and Naomi, she gave up her own country and home. Her love for them was so great she was willing to leave other things behind. Finish your time together by saying this prayer together:
Father God
Thank you that Ruth decided
that being with Naomi and God,
were the most important things.
Help us to think about our lives
and to decide what are the most important things too.
AMEN
Say goodbye to everyone and look forward to seeing them tomorrow.