Dream Again!Sýnishorn

God’s Plans Prevail! 

Dreams vary. The book of Ruth details pursuit and attainment of a simple dream: stable and peaceful family life. 

Pressured by famine in his hometown of Bethlehem, a man named Elimelech moved to the land of Moab with his wife, Naomi, and two sons. Elimelech subsequently died and his sons married two Moabite women, Orpah and Ruth. Ten years later, both sons died. 

Widowed and childless, Naomi decided to return home to Bethlehem, particularly after hearing the famine was over. Naomi encouraged her widowed daughters-in-law to return to their families. Orpah agreed, but Ruth objected, “…Wherever you go, I will go…Your people will be my people. Your God will be my God. Where you die, I will die…” (Ruth 1:16-17, Holy Bible: Easy-to-Read Version). 

Naomi acquiesced. Back home in Bethlehem, Naomi told townspeople to no longer call her Naomi, which means happy, but to call her Mara, which means bitter. Why? Naomi rationalized, “I left full [with a husband and two sons], but the Lord has brought me back empty" (Ruth 1:21, The Amplified Bible).

Interestingly, Naomi and Ruth arrived in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest. Ruth then gathered leftover grain in fields belonging to a rich, close relative named Boaz. After hearing of Boaz’s kindness towards Ruth, Naomi marveled: “…The LORD always keeps his promises to the living and the dead...That man is a close relative of ours, one of those responsible for taking care of us" (Ruth 2:20, Good News Bible). 

Consequently, Boaz redeemed all that belonged to Naomi’s husband and sons. Boaz and Ruth married and had a son named Obed whom Naomi nursed. Obed became the grandfather of King David, the ancestor of Jesus Christ, who redeemed mankind from sin.

The book of Ruth is such an amazing demonstration of God’s purpose transcending lack and loss! I'm glad Naomi and Ruth didn't allow losses in Moab to have the final say. Determined and courageous, these widows found the resolve to Dream Again! 

Our lives are framed within God's purpose. Challenges will not and cannot derail God's purpose. We can trust God to bring all things to work together for the good of those called to His purpose. God will come through for us. God’s plans prevail!