Manna for Your Morning

“Don’t call me Naomi,” she responded. “Instead, call me Mara, for the Almighty has made life very bitter for me. I went away full, but the LORD has brought me home empty. Why call me Naomi when the LORD has caused me to suffer and the Almighty has sent such tragedy upon me?” — Ruth 1:20-21 (NLT) After the death of her husband, and later, her two sons, Naomi felt that the LORD had raised His fist against her. (See Ruth 1:13) Instead of being called Naomi, which means pleasant, she told them to call her Mara, which means bitter. But look at Yahweh and His faithfulness to continue providing for her. In Ruth 1:6, He got word to her in Moab, that the LORD had blessed His people in Judah by giving them good crops again. In Ruth 1:16-17, He provided the loyalty of her daughter-in-law, Ruth, who told Naomi: “...Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May th...

But she said to them, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full, and the LORD has brought me home again empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the LORD has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?”  — Ruth 1:20-21 (NKJV) First, Naomi lost her husband, then her two sons died. In Ruth 1:13, she said, “the hand of the LORD has gone out against me!” Sometimes, our pain has a way of distorting our perspective of God. Despite the bitter life events you may face, remember that God is for you and He is with you. His Holy Spirit who dwells within us, is our comforter and helper. Naomi’s story is one of perseverance. Even though she returned to her home town empty, she had more than she realized. God was with her and her daughter-in-law, Ruth, stood by her side and listened to her instruction. As a result, Ruth married Boaz and bore a son, and Naomi was able to care for her grandchild. Then the women said to N...

But Ruth replied, “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. — Ruth 1:16 (NLT) When Ruth chose to go with her mother-in-law, Naomi, she committed her life to God and His people. Ruth chose to leave the land of her birth, her family and all that she knew. Sometimes we have to let go of what we know and leave our comfort zone to venture with God into the unknown. When Ruth chose to go with Naomi, little did she know, that God had Boaz, in position to receive her as his wife. Because of her wise choice and commitment to God, she and her son Obed are listed in the genealogy of Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:5) What a destiny she would have never known if she would have turned back to the familiar. May we stay committed to the LORD and the call He has for our lives.