“Call me Mara [bitter].” —Ruth 1:20
When life leaves us angry, tired, and bitter, it’s hard to see the possibility of blessings.
Ruth was a young widow living with her heartbroken and bitter mother-in-law, Naomi. Naomi’s husband and two sons had died, leaving her alone in a strange land with two grieving daughters-in-law.
Determined to return home to Bethlehem, Naomi was surprised by Ruth’s declaration of loyalty: “For wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. Where you die, I will die” (Ruth1:16-17, NLT).
Naomi’s response was less than enthusiastic: “When she saw that she was determined to go with her, she stopped speaking to her.” Naomi might as well have shrugged and said, “Whatever….”
In the depths of despair, it’s hard to appreciate even small gestures of kindness. Naomi was drowning in sorrow and fearful about the future.
Eventually, the love God poured into their lives began to heal Naomi’s bitterness. First, she realizes that in Ruth she is blessed with a loving daughter. Then Boaz, a relative of Naomi, enters the scene. He is a wealthy landowner and a godly man who takes pity on them — then falls in love with Ruth while watching her glean grain from the fields. He is struck by her beauty and virtue and arranges to fulfill his “duty” by marrying her.
This is one of the most beautiful love stories ever written, and I
encourage you to read it. I’ve barely done it justice, but I want to leave you with this thought:
Tragic events had unraveled Naomi’s life. Struck down by grief and fear, she was beaten down, resigned to misery, and bitter. In Bethlehem she told
old friends, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty
has dealt very bitterly with me” (Mara means bitter; Ruth 1:20).
But God had given her a faithful daughter, and a savior— Boaz, who provided for her the rest of her life.
The day Ruth bore a son and laid him in Naomi’s arms, the town rejoiced, crying, “Blessed be the LORD…may he be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age” (Ruth 4:14-15).
God turned Naomi’s bitterness into blessings. When she was too tired and hurt to have faith, the Lord took care of her and provided her with people who loved her and had faith for her. He redeemed her from seemingly impossible circumstances.
Isn’t that how He is with us? If only we can look up and see above
our circumstances, we can know God’s hand is upon our lives.
Our Redeemer lives to save us and longs to turn all our bitterness into blessings!
