Who Told You That You Were Empty?Sample

WHO TOLD YOU TO CHANGE YOUR NAME?

Today, let’s progress to consideration of deep faith.

If our faith in God is deep, we have a robust personal revelation of His faithfulness. Accordingly, we then tend to boldly exalt God over every difficulty. Hear faith talking in Joshua’s and Caleb’s assessment of Canaan: “Only do not rebel against the LORD. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will devour them. Their protection is gone, but the LORD is with us. Do not be afraid of them” (Numbers 14:9, NIV). 

If you want to be like Joshua and Caleb but are more like the ten leaders in your faith walk, don’t despair! God has equipped you to develop your faith. God has given you the measure of faith; Jesus is the author and developer of your faith, and the Holy Spirit abides in you to teach you in all truth. 

God is patient with us. Naomi’s name changing episode is an example of unfiltered faith development. Naomi means “Beautiful Grace of God”. Upon return to Bethlehem after her husband’s and sons’ deaths, she told the townspeople to call her Mara, which means “Bitter”. Naomi rationalized, “…The Strong One has dealt me a bitter blow. I left here full of life, and God has brought me back with nothing but the clothes on my back. Why would you call me Naomi? God certainly doesn’t…” (Ruth 1:21, MSG).  

Naomi’s downward focus on her losses yielded bitterness and a self-imposed name change. Conversely, the resolve of Ruth, Naomi’s Moabite widowed daughter-in-law who refused to part from Naomi, made way for a breakthrough. Specifically, Ruth’s decision to gather leftover grain to support herself and Naomi resulted in her arrival in the field of Boaz, a wealthy relative of Naomi’s deceased husband.

Boaz’s identification as a close relative with redeemer rights led Naomi (in Ruth 2:20, MSG) to marvel, “Why, God bless that man! God hasn’t quite walked out on us after all! He still loves us in bad times as well as good!” 

Reflections:

1. In your present circumstances, what can you be thankful for?

2. Naomi realized God “still loves us in bad times as well as good!” How willing are you to own this realization? 

Scriptural Demonstration of God’s unfailing commitment to you:

2 Timothy 2:13, TPT: “But even if we are faithless, he will still be full of faith, for he never wavers in his faithfulness to us!

Deuteronomy 31:8, NIV: “The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”