Idiom: across the board (used idiomatically: yes)
I 'm sure that Ruth searches her heart , she , she may of made her decision lightly way back to go with Ruth er , to go with Naomi but not now , its a heart searching decision she makes , the choice before her , do I go back or do I go , do I go on , do I go back to Moah with its familiarity with all the things I am aware of or do I go on into the unknown with my mother in law and with her god Auper makes a choice and she goes back and Ruth had , Ruth says no and she makes the commitment and she says there , in verse sixteen , do not urge me to leave you or turn back from following you , for where you go I will go and where you lodge , I will lodge , your people should be my people and your god my god and its those last few words that makes all the difference , your god will be my god , I will not be a stranger there , I will not be an alien there , I will be part of your people , and the only way she could be part of Naomi 's people was for Naomi 's god to be her god , that was the thing that kept , that was , that was the common denominated should all of Naomi 's people , because they all belonged to and Ruth says I commit myself to him , he will now be my god , and therefore your people will be my people , your home will be my home , your destiny will be my destiny the way is clear , she makes that greatest decision of her life , a decision that will affect the whole of her life but its not as say a life decision is a commitment now , we , we , we are always confronted , day after day we are confronted to make decisions , some of you make decisions and were not too committed about them , and if things alter they will change our minds , not just a ladies prerogative to change her mind , men do it as well and things happen and we think oh no well , I wo n't go through with that I 'll change my mind before its too late , but here Ruth she is not just making a decision , she is making a total commitment , a commitment that is worth time of the whole of her life , to promised to be loyal to de to Naomi and her deceased husband , she promises loyalty to Naomi 's race and the people of god , but above all she acknowledge 's Naomi 's god and her willingness to follow him to the end , you know this , how she finishes of this commitment where you die I will die its to the end its to the end of my life , I will not walk out of it and even after you 've gone mother in law , even after you are dead I am still committed to that decision , this decision I am making today where you die I will die , there I will be buried , and here she sorts of puts this solemn vow to this commitment , thus may the lord to do me and worse if any thing but death parts you and me . Nao Naomi realizes there 's no point talking about it now , the dye has been cast the decision has been made , the commitment has been entered into , whatever the cost she was going gods way , there was nothing more to be said about it we find that a de a decision made before god and we all make those decisions , means nothing at all unless were determined to carry it through , whatever the cost may be , three women here make their decisions before god , they make their choices , Naomi she chooses to return to Judah once again and enjoy the inheritance god has given her , Auper she chooses to return to her own country and her own god , as far as were concerned that 's the end of the story , but Ruth she chooses , she expresses her faith in the one true god , she turns her back on the old ways and decides to follow gods way , no matter what the cost , she would of said with Joshua , but as for me and my husband were gon na serve god , whatever the cost , I dunno what 'll be and she did n't know what she was letting herself in for , and the , I counted it , although I do n't know what it is , I counted that cost , I 'm willing to pay it and Jesus said that that is the acid test of disciples , said to count the cost and weigh it up and Ruth had done that , then to make their decision and because if we make a decision without counting the cost , without weighing it all up , like Auper you 'll go back , it wo n't last , there is that choice for every one of us day by day , who will we serve , not to be like Joshua , its for us , never for any body else , I will serve the lord because and this is the reason for it , not because you 've done nice things for me , I will be your saviour because he is god , that 's the reason for our serving god , not because he blesses us because he blesses people who do n't serve him , blessing is not exclusive to gods people , blessing , god blesses across the board , god is generous he 's gracious , he causes the rain and the sun to shine on the just and on the unjust , blessing is not the ground for serving god , but because he is god that 's sufficient reason for our committing ourselves to him . Let 's just sing shall we as we close , whilst were singing were gon na take up our morning offering , its number one ninety seven , one hundred and ninety seven an element of commitment in this song , one nine seven , well stand to sing .