"Finding Hope In The Midst of Despair"

The story of Naomi, found in the book of Ruth in the Bible, is a timeless reminder of how God can bring joy out of sorrow and provide hope amid despair. Naomi and her family had been forced to flee their home in Bethlehem due to a severe famine. Sadly, her husband, Elimelech, and both of her sons, Mahlon and Chilion, died during their time in Moab.

Naomi was in despair as she set out for her home in Bethlehem. When the women around town turn their focus to Naomi (1:19), she instructs them not to stop calling her “Naomi,” which means "pleasant" Instead, she insists they call her “Mara,” which means “bitter." She described the reason for the change by faulting God for treating her unfairly, sharing that God “dealt bitterly with me” (1:20–21). Yet no one ever follows her instruction. She was so disheartened as she grieved her losses that she told her daughters-in-law Orpah and Ruth not to follow her because she had nothing else to offer them.

But Ruth, committed to taking care of Naomi, refused to leave her side. She declared, “Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God” (Ruth 1:16). Ruth’s faithfulness to Naomi was a reminder that God places people around us for a purpose. No matter how bleak things may seem, there is still hope.

Despite Naomi’s hardships, God had not forgotten her. He provided for her and Ruth as they returned to Bethlehem. Ruth ended up marrying Boaz, a relative of Naomi’s, and eventually gave birth to a son, Obed. Ruth’s son Obed later became the grandfather of King David, the ancestor of Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:5-6).

The lesson from Naomi is a reminder of where our hope comes from. In the midst of her grief, Naomi was reminded that God had not forgotten her and God still looked after her. We, too, can have hope in the midst of our struggles, knowing that God is always with us and will never leave us (Joshua 1:5, Hebrews 13:5). We cannot go too far for the hand of God to reach us.

Another lesson from this story is the power of faithfulness. Ruth’s loyalty to Naomi was an act of faithfulness that not only demonstrated her love for Naomi, but her faith in God as well. Ruth had faith that God would provide for them, and He did. We, too, can show kindness to others, even when they may not necessarily deserve it, by showing the love of Christ and extending the same grace and mercy to others as He extends to us.

Finally, we all see that God’s blessings often come in unexpected ways. We may not always understand why certain things happen, but if we trust in God, He will provide for us in ways we could never imagine (John 15:7). Naomi’s life positioned her right where God needed her to be to fulfill prophecy.

God takes what the enemy means for evil and turns it into good. Naomi had no idea that she was being positioned to become the great-great-grandmother of Jesus Christ. God was able to carry out His plan for Naomi, despite herself. Likewise, God has a plan for each and every one of us. God’s plan is perfect, and He can use all of our experiences, even the hard ones, to bring about His plan and purpose. When we wait upon the Lord and allow things to happen in His timing, we will surely be blessed! We need to have faith in God, trust in His will, and place our hope in Jesus Christ, knowing that what He promises He will do! ©Rita Larson 11/13/2023

#GodsPlan #HisTiming #TurnEverythingToGood #OnWordandUpWord

Song Of The Day:

Click Me