In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while in the country of Moab. The man’s name was Elimelek, his wife’s name was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem, Judah. And they went to Moab and lived there. Now Elimelek, Naomi’s husband, died, and she was left with her two sons. They married Moabite women, one named Orpah and the other Ruth. After they had lived there about ten years, both Mahlon and Kilion also died, and Naomi was left without her two sons and her husband.

As we begin the study of Ruth today, my hope is that God will give us renewed hope in his providence and his love for us. A love that doesn’t always give us what we wish for, like a Genie; but a love that gives us far more that we can ever imagine in the end.

As the story starts out, we find that Naomi, her husband, and her two sons were uprooted and moved to Moab. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem. They came from the people of God in the city of God, and yet they could not find enough to eat. They were starving, so they moved out of necessity. Shortly after they moved, Naomi’s husband died. This had to be another bitter pill to swallow, as he would have been the support for Naomi, financially and relationally and in raising their kids. We see that the two boys intermarried with Moabite women. This was not allowed by Jewish law. So, reality is, though Naomi did not remarry, she could not keep her sons from doing this. And I don’t blame them for this, as they probably were wanting to have children and provide for their mom. And finally, her sons died, leaving her with two daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth. Naomi is a desperate, destitute woman, at this point, with very little hope. One thing to note: it looks like neither of her sons were able to have children before they died. So, no grandchildren.

As I think about Naomi, I think about many I have known who have seemingly been abandoned in life, and some might say by God (though I do not). Life had dealt her blow after blow, and it seemed that she was destined for a desolate life. The good she had done had been rewarded by heartache; the faithfulness, by loss. Have you ever been in a situation like Naomi, when all hope of being rewarded for a life faithful to God seems to be stomped out? Does it seem like one shattered dream after another has disappointed you, to the point where you DARE NOT DREAM ANYMORE? My encouragement to you, today, is to not give up and to hear the story of Naomi and Ruth. And trust this verse: “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” ‭‭(I John‬ ‭4‬:‭10‬)

This verse says it all. Our love for God is incomplete, it is man-made. His love for us is from the origin — himself. His love is complete and ever faithful. He sent us our Savior Jesus, his only son. He plans for our best all the time, eve when it pains him so very much. When life is unfair, serving up blow after brutal blow, even then … our God is faithful. He will reward us in the end.

Thank you, Lord, that Naomi is presented in your Word. I can relate, in some small ways, to her struggles. And I can also follow her faith as well. May I remember your faithfulness to my family and may it carry me, as it did Naomi, through the hard seasons of life!