Beauty out of Brokenness | Wednesday in The Word for January 28, 2026 is Ruth 1:1-10

Elimelech’s Family Goes to Moab

1 Now it came to pass, in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem, Judah, went to dwell in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons.

2 The name of the man was Elimelech, the name of his wife was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion—Ephrathites of Bethlehem, Judah. And they went to the country of Moab and remained there.

3 Then Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died; and she was left, and her two sons.

4 Now they took wives of the women of Moab: the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth. And they dwelt there about ten years.

5 Then both Mahlon and Chilion also died; so the woman survived her two sons and her husband.

Naomi Returns with Ruth

6 Then she arose with her daughters-in-law that she might return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the country of Moab that the Lord had visited His people by giving them bread.

7 Therefore she went out from the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her; and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah.

8 And Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, return each to her mother’s house. The Lord deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me.

9 The Lord grant that you may find rest, each in the house of her husband.”

So she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept.

10 And they said to her, “Surely we will return with you to your people.”

Context

• Given that the period of the judges is described as a time when “everyone did what was right in their own eyes, ” what might you expect to see in this story? (Deuteronomy 11:13-17, Judges 21:25)

Reflection

1. What do we know about Moab? (Genesis 19:36-38, Numbers 22:1-10, Deuteronomy 23:3, 2 Peter 2:15, 16)
2. What’s significant about Bethlehem? (Genesis 35:19, Micah 5:2, Matthew 2:1-6)
3. What unfortunate things happened to Naomi and her family in verses 1-5?
4. When have you experienced a famine season, emotionally, spiritually, relationally, or physically? (Psalm 38:10-14, 73:2-10, 2 Corinthians 4:16, 12:7, 8)

Testimony Time

1. In what ways has Jesus entered into your loss and brokenness rather than standing apart from it? (Psalm 34:18, 73:25, 26, Isaiah 53:2-7, 2 Corinthians 12:9)