Rock and roll music first became popular in the mid-1950s.
At the time there was a hit love ballad called Wither Thou Goest by Les Paul and Mary Ford.
The song would have been heard by millions of people.
But few probably realized the lyrics of the song were based on the Old Testament story of Ruth and Naomi.
In that story Ruth pledged her loyalty to her mother-in-law after the death of her husband.
At the heart of this commitment are the words:
“… Where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God” (Ruth 1:16).
For Ruth to fulfill this pledge she had to make a shift in allegiance…
From the gods of the land of Moab to the God of the Bible.
And with this shift Ruth unknowingly — by way of her eventual marriage to Boaz–ended up an ancestor of Jesus.
Today, God still works in hearts to make shifts in allegiance…
From the gods of this world to the true God who gives eternal life.
And His adopted sons and daughters become part of His lineage.
And as we follow Him, we fulfill our part in the great work He is doing to extend His kingdom in the world.