Break You to Make You

Ruth 1:20-21a

But she said to them, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full, and the Lord has brought me home again empty." (NKJV) ______________ THE STORY: During a time of famine in Israel, a family left Bethlehem ("House of Bread") to live in Moab, a nation with which Yahweh forbade them from making alliance. When disaster struck, Naomi was bereaved of her husband and two sons and left with only her two Moabitess daughters-in-law. Three widows: not a good picture. No help, no inheritance, no security, no future.

Naomi heard that Yah had visited His people, Israel, and she decided to go back home to the "House of Bread". After an emotional debate, only Ruth ended up in Israel with Naomi. When the villagers saw the older woman, they wondered if this was really her. We're not sure why they did.

When they called her by the name they knew by, Naomi, which means "pleasant", she said "Call me Mara," which means "bitter". She may have been referring to her condition, her emotions or both. She made a profound statement: "I went out full, and the Lord has brought me home again empty." She had walked away from God's will and design because of fear and He had dealt bitterly with her. He had broken her. He had removed all her props. She was barren, broken and bitter.

The story doesn't end there though. The rest of the book shows us how Yahweh eventually redeemed her (through Boaz) restored her, and egrafted Ruth into Israel's family. She acted out of fear, but she had faith to return and was given a hope and a future. ____________ LIFE APPLICATION: Sometimes when situations of life darken out outlook and we cannot see our way, we become fearful. We let our fear counsel and pilot us away from Yahweh's agenda and design and into forbidden waters. Things sometimes look well and go well . . . for a while. Then, they start to go downhill and we hit rock bottom.

Sometimes Yahweh will allow these things in order to get our attention. Sometimes He just has to break us to remake us into what He wants for us. It's not a nice or pleasant feeling. It's bitter. However, it is intended to make us better, to give us a hope and a future. If we confess our error, seek His forgiveness, He will redeem us, restore us, and re-engraft us into His agenda. We must be willing to leave the forbidden and return to the place of Yahweh's providenceltial care. ____________ PRAYER: Yahweh Elohim, I confess to you that I have often acted out of fear and not faith. I have often walked out of Your plans for me in order to seek my own solutions. I am sorry. I return to You now; not tomorrow but right now. Forgive me; redeem me; restore me and engraft me again into Your divine agenda. Fulfill Your purpose in me. Take away my bitterness and give me joy. Thank You for hearing and answering me. I ask this in Yeshua's holy and precious Name. __________ THOUGHT: We walk by faith, and not by sight. The righteous shall live by faith. Romans 1:17; II Corinthians 5:7

D. L. N. (2020 April 29)