I remember the moment like it was yesterday. I got a call late in the evening that my oldest sister had passed away from heart failure. While her death and the events of that evening were swift, they felt like an eternity. It was the hardest news I’d been given since receiving a similar phone call about my father who passed away when I was nineteen years old. Loss of life is sobering. I hate it, and I know that it’s not what God originally intended for humanity. I also know that God loves us deeply and purely, and one day He will make all things new. The loss of my sister that I experienced wasn’t a loss of everything; I still had my home and my children. Yet in an extremely small way, I understand a taste of what Naomi must have felt as she faced the loss of her homeland, her husband, and her children.
Loss is something no one would ever wish for. The losses Naomi experienced were the ingredients for a tragic life. Naomi had fled her homeland with her husband and their two sons. While in Moab, tragedy struck and her husband died, leaving behind Naomi with her sons and her daughters-in-law. Ten years later, her two sons also died. Naomi now had to lead her two daughters-in-law, Ruth and Orpah, to find food, shelter, and a new life without their husbands.
Naomi knew she couldn’t survive without returning to the land of Israel to find assistance from the community of her people (Deuteronomy 25:5-10). She was a widow with no money, so these three women set out to return to the land of Israel. Can you imagine the terror each of them must have felt?
It’s clear from the first chapter of Ruth that Naomi loved these women as her own daughters. Naomi instructed them to return to their homes. She urged her daughters-in-law to leave her. Her prayer for them was that the Lord would deal kindly with them and she acknowledged their love and kindness toward her. Most of all, she desired that they find husbands and rest.
Even though her sons had died, Naomi was concerned about the future of their widows. She wanted them to be cared for and to have a future. She didn’t believe it was in their best interest to stay with her, even though she was mourning. She kissed them, another expression of devotion and love, as she attempted to compassionately send them on their way.
Naomi believed wholeheartedly that the Lord had dealt bitterly with her. Twice we see it referenced in the first chapter. She first referenced this bitter dealing as she urged her daughters-in-law to leave her so that they would find a husband and be cared for. She knew that she was too old to conceive, and if she had, the women would have to wait until the sons were grown to remarry. This was inconceivable to Naomi, so she urged them to leave adding, “No, my daughters, my life is much too bitter for you to share, because the Lord’s hand has turned against me” (Ruth 1:13). She didn’t desire any further tragedy for her daughters. The women wept together and Orpah left. Ruth, however, stayed.
The two women traveled to Bethlehem and when the resident women saw Naomi, they asked if it was truly her. Naomi responded, “Don’t call me Naomi. Call me Mara, for the Almighty has made me very bitter. I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the Lord has opposed me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?” (Ruth 1:20-21). Naomi not only believed that the Lord was angry with her, but she also wanted the women to call her Mara, which means bitter (Exodus 15:23).
Because we know the end of the story, we can see that Naomi was misinterpreting her circumstances and applying wrath where there was none.
Naomi loved Ruth and desired good for her. And to make a short story even shorter, Naomi coached Ruth and instructed her on how to win over Boaz. Ruth obeyed, married Boaz, and bore a son.
What is beautiful is how the same women who Naomi told to call her Mara are the women at the end of the story who point Naomi to the faithfulness of God:
“Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you without a family redeemer today. May his name become well known in Israel. He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. Indeed, your daughter-in-law, who loves you and is better to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.”
Ruth 4:14-15 (CSB)
Oh, the great faithfulness of God! This is as much a story of Naomi as it is of Ruth. The Lord was faithful to Naomi. The Lord provided above and beyond all that she could have requested through her daughter Ruth. God’s great redemption plan flows through this story as well. Ruth and Boaz’s son was Obed, who was the father of Jesse, and Jesse was the father of King David, whose line led to the Messiah.
Many of us don’t go through tragedy as we see in the story of Naomi and Ruth. Instead, we fear the potential for tragedy. And then there are others of us who, perhaps like Naomi, assume God is out to get us and we wait in anxiety for the next tragic circumstance. But let this story build your faith. We don’t see all that God sees, and we don’t know all that God knows. We only see in part — as we know, we walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). We cling to that glimmer of hope and run to His throne of grace. If you are facing a tough circumstance, pray that God would give you fresh faith to walk, though blindly, believing in Him and knowing that He has laid out your path. And like Naomi, for each of us, the path ultimately leads to our Messiah.
This devotion was written by Trillia Newbell for the (in)courage Devotional Bible, originally titled “The Story of Naomi.”
[bctt tweet=”We don’t see all that God sees, and we don’t know all that God knows. We only see in part — as we know, we walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7) -@trillianewbell:” username=”incourage”]
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Dawn Ferguson-Little says
We have to in the hard times keep our eyes on God no matter what. Yes it hard sometimes to do. We sometimes can say God why did you let this happen. Why God did you let my love one die do young. Or so suddenly. One minute they were there the next they were gone. That happened to my Favourite Uncle one time. I will never forget getting the phone call my world seemed to crumble before me. For his wife it was worse. He went to bed for a lie down and never woke up again. Sad for rest of family too. That why it make me say it’s so important to be saved. As you never know the hour or day your life can stop. But sometimes it doesn’t still make people think that way. It still hasn’t made any of my family think that way. But I still pray for them. It seems so on fair. Like we can go round in our head asking God why did this person get healed and not my love one why did they die etc. Especially if they were saved. They did everything thing right. Said their prayers read your word the Bible and stood on the promises in the word of God. It all seems so on fair. But we have to see and know that God knew the bigger picture in all theses things in life. Our is not to question why. Just keep trusting God no matter what. When any of these things happen. We are to keep our eyes fixed on God no matter what keep standing on the Promises in is word the Bible and Praying no matter what. Don’t let the Old Devil have the last laugh. By saying I got them to dought God who God is who he says he his and who his word the Bible says he his. So I the Devil am now laughing saying see your faith in this God you believe in after all is not that strong. Ha ha. So don’t let the Old Devil have you feeling like that. Get into the word of God the Bible and Prayer. Tell the Old Devil I am not going to listen to you. I am Devil going to listen to what God’s says through his Word the Bible and Prayer. Plus also through the Holy Spirit. As I know my God sees all and knows the beginning from the end. We only know part. I tell you Devil I am going to do what God tells me and not let you win by having the last laugh. Because I server a big mighty Faithful God who Love Me. Even in the midst of saddens and happiness. Thank you incourage for another excellent reading Dawn Ferguson-Little xxxxx
Gail says
Love this.
Nancy Ness says
I needed to be reminded of God’s faithfulness today and all of His paths lead to the Messiah. I have been going through a hard season of loss, loss of marriage, loss of a home. I’ve been living with family after being a homeowner for 30 years. Naomi’s story is a beautiful example of God’s faithfulness.
Dawn Ferguson-Little says
Nancy I will say a prayer for you. Not nice what you are going through. Or have went through if just going through it. Marriage brake up after such a long time. You believe when you make your vows it is for life. I know what it like to did with a person to do with Marriage brake up the person she though it was for life the marriage. It not nice. God does answer pray. He does make people in the marriage that went through it strong again. I pray God will be with you in the healing of it all. You can and will be strong too with God’s help. Remember no matter what you are a beautiful Daughter of the king. That king is Jesus he is with you through it all. He will never leave you. Remember this verse also. Proverbs 3 v 5 Trust in Lord with all thine heart. Xxx
Karen Knowles says
This post was very encouraging and a wonderful reminder of God’s faithfulness. Praying for you, Nancy, as you go through a huge adjustment having been a homeowner for thirty years and then losing not only your home, but your marriage. I trust God has a plan for you and I know He will guide you and make a new way for you as you trust in His faithfulness. As always,thank you for your insightful words too, Dawn.
Beth Williams says
Trillia,
We must know in our hearts that God is faithful ALL the time. God said we would have trials & tribulations down here. That doesn’t mean that God is “out to get us”. He has plans for us. Plans to prosper us & not for harm. We must walk this journey He has us on with faith & trust. Just because we hit detours on our journey doesn’t mean that God isn’t working on our behalf. We must be like Ruth & cling to Him faithfully. He will give you huge blessings for your ashes.
Blessings 🙂
Ada Orie says
I am sorry about the loss of your father and sister. May God continue to comfort you. Your illustration of Naomi is remarkable. She endured a lot of loss and was concerned about her two daughters in laws. She was had her bitter tears redeemed. I am reminded we can be completely honest with God about where we are at in our circumstances . Only God can keep us and illuminate our vision in our circumstances. Thank you for sharing your soul and insight. I was blessed. May God bless you.