WordLive - Year OneSample

Prepare: How do you cope when people talk about you? As you come to the Word of God today surrender to him all that others say about you and ask for his perspective on your life.

A bitter homecoming
When Naomi returns to her homeland, people barely recognise her, asking, ‘Can this be Naomi?’ Her reply, ‘Don’t call me Naomi. Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter’, is poignant as Naomi means pleasant, while Mara means bitter.

The word for God Naomi uses here, usually translated ‘Almighty’, is literally Shaddai, ‘cosmic ruler’. Naomi places her suffering in the context of God’s sovereignty and renounces her own identity by asking to be called Mara. But God doesn’t give up on her.

Not giving up
When bad things happen we are affected psychologically and spiritually. Our ability to think rightly about God, ourselves and others is skewed. This passage describes such a situation.

But God does not leave Naomi in this desperate state; she is delivered. Her dark night of the soul goes deep and some of us can identify with such utter despair and blackness, yet we worship the God who never lets go of us.

Now Naomi directs Ruth to the harvest field and ultimately to Boaz, taking a proactive role in her own and Ruth’s survival. She makes something of her circumstances. After defeat, death, famine, debt and loss Naomi demonstrates real courage.

Respond: Ask the Lord what proactive steps, if any, he is calling you to take today.

http://www.wordlive.org/Session/Classic/2012-09-04