Saturday, February 22: Ruth 1- Naomi's belief in God.

Naomi’s faith in God, despite her difficulties impressed me.

Naomi saw God’s hand at work in the calamities of her life. She believed that God was in control and that He orchestrated life events. Listen to her honesty and her pain.

[Life] is more bitter for me than for you, because the LORD's hand has gone out against me!" …

"Don't call me Naomi," she told them. "Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The LORD has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me." (13, 20-21).

Naomi felt God’s heavy hand in the death of her husband and then of her 2 sons. In her world, Naomi was destitute with no one to take care of her. Yet, she never cursed God or said anything unfaithful. Instead, she accepted the lot God dealt her.

Naomi’s faith impressed me. In our world when good things happen, people may thank God or they may take credit themselves. But when tragedy strikes people cry, “Why would God do that? How could a loving God do things like that?” People have been known to quit on God because of tragedies and difficult times.

Not Naomi, like Job, she accepted what God sent which, in her case, was heartache and pain.

I see, in this lady, faithfulness of a kind that I don’t often see in my world or in my life. She inspires me.

Lord, Thank You for Naomi, a woman of intense and wonderful faith.

Lord, I pray for the kind of faith Naomi had. The kind of faith that accepts whatever You see fit to send my way. Lord, in all life circumstances, may I trust what comes from Your hand and live faithfully. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.