Finding Safety in God's Care, the Story of RuthShembull

Naomi returns to her land...and to God?

“Then she arose with her daughters-in-law to return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the fields of Moab that the Lord had visited his people and given them food.” (Ruth 1:6)

The story of Naomi and her family changes dramatically. This woman hears that the famine in the land of Israel is over. She has little reason to stay in Moab any longer. Therefore, she packs her bags and returns.

This is a keyword in the story: to turn back, to turn around. Naomi does so in a literal sense as she returns to her homeland. The Bible repeatedly calls people to also “return” spiritually when they have strayed from the Lord God.

That does not seem to be the case with Naomi yet. She is bitter because of the suffering God has inflicted on her: “The hand of the Lord has gone out against me… the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me” (Ruth 1:13; 1:20). She assumes that the Lord caused her misfortune, but that does not seem to lead to repentance and reversal. Naomi does want to return to the land God has promised her people, but does she need His Presence as well?

How is that with you? Have you perhaps also strayed from God? Do you need to turn around, and go back to Him?