How Are YOU Handling the Famine in Your Life?
A famine is an extreme shortage of food, but we have many different famines that go on in our lives where God’s Word is withheld or His Spirit is withheld because of: Sin, unbelief, worldliness, false beliefs, self-satisfaction, testing God, God testing His servants
Consequences? Spiritual weakness, loss of hope and joy
“Relief” is always promised to God’s people, and we see that in Naomi (Please read Ruth 1-4), which will be our focus this week.
There are a lot of lessons to learn from Naomi, but let’s learn a few facts about her:
1. She had a husband, two sons with wives, who were Moabites.
2. She was an Ephrathite of Bethlehem in Judah.
3. Ephrathites did not marry Moabites, this was mixing two races
4. Her husband and sons died, and she was left to lead her two Moabite daughter-in-laws, Ruth and Orpah.
5. Since all was taken from her during a time of famine, she changed her name to Mara, which means “for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.”
“I went out full, but the LORD has brought me back empty.” Ruth 1:1:21
Are you at a point where you are empty? (Please share)
When you look at how you became empty and realize God is sovereign and in control you ask yourself, “how could this happen… to ME?”
Well, Naomi was at the same place. She didn’t just have anything left, but she had two more mouths to feed and provide for. She asked them to return to their homeland, but Ruth stayed.
Have you been tested where you had to lead? Please share.
What Naomi did not realize was that God had a bigger plan, which we will talk about in our next post. Here are a few verses to think on as you read the book of Ruth.
2 Corinthians 4:8-9 Good News Translation (GNT)
“We are often troubled, but not crushed; sometimes in doubt, but never in despair; there are many enemies, but we are never without a friend; and though badly hurt at times, we are not destroyed.”
Naomi was not destroyed, even after losing everything.
Naomi did not see the joy, gladness, or praise of Isaiah 61:3 (To give to those who mourn in Zion joy and gladness instead of grief,
A song of praise instead of sorrow.) All she could see right now was something that was too big to handle. When it gets like that don’t fix your eyes on the situation, fix them on Jesus.
“…let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfectionist of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1b-2
Women of the Bible – Naomi – Part 2
Relief promised to Naomi through Ruth
Sometimes when you are dealing with famine in your life, God leaves a person in your life that you may want gone, but it’s not His will that they leave. Sometimes when you are dealing with a famine in your life, we want to be alone in order to have our “self-orchestrated pity party”, or sometimes we want to be alone after a famine because of the shame of losing everything.
Well, when Naomi asked Ruth to leave, look at what Ruth said,
“But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. Thus may the LORD do to me, and worse, if anything but death parts you and me.” When she saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more to her.”
Remember in part one of our posting, when there is a spiritual famine, God sends relief in the most unusual ways. To Naomi, Ruth looked like another burden because she had to provide for her. Actually Ruth was Naomi’s “relief”.
Relief is always promised to God’s people, no matter the trial.
“For He has satisfied the thirsty soul,And the hungry soul He has filled with what is good.” Psalm 107:9
“Yes indeed, it won’t be long now.” GOD’s Decree. “Things are going to happen so fast your head will swim, one thing fast on the heels of the other. You won’t be able to keep up. Everything will be happening at once—and everywhere you look, blessings! Blessings like wine pouring off the mountains and hills. I’ll make everything right again for my people Israel: “They’ll rebuild their ruined cities. They’ll plant vineyards and drink good wine. They’ll work their gardens and eat fresh vegetables.
And I’ll plant them, plant them on their own land. They’ll never again be uprooted from the land I’ve given them.”GOD, your God, says so. Amos 9:13-15The Message (MSG)
Finally a New Testament relief verse for you: “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me shall not hunger, and he who believes in Me, shall never thirst.” John 6:35
God is the relief to YOUR situation.
So what did Ruth do to help Naomi?
She worked in the fields of Naomi’s “kinsman redeemer”, Boaz. Boaz saw Ruth, admired her, praised her, served her, and finally redeemed her! (Read Ruth 2:11-16; 3:6-13)
God will redeem YOU also!
His relief is free for those who desire it, pray for it, and wait patiently for it.
“ Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it gets the early and late rains. You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.” James 5:7-8
God can come in so many ways! Allow your “Ruth" to stay. There will be benefits in the end. Part three tomorrow, and, oh, what an ending!
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