Daily Devotion 8/20/18
Ruth 1:11-15 But Naomi said, “Return home, my daughters. Why would you come with me? Am I going to have any more sons, who could become your husbands? 12 Return home, my daughters; I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was still hope for me—even if I had a husband tonight and then gave birth to sons— 13 would you wait until they grew up? Would you remain unmarried for them? No, my daughters. It is more bitter for me than for you, because the Lord’s hand has turned against me!”
14 At this they wept aloud again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung to her.
15 “Look,” said Naomi, “your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back with her.”
Naomi was experiencing some big time hardships in life. She was completely uprooted from her home town, she was living in a foreign country, and her husband and two sons died. Her life was nothing what she thought it was going to be. How did she respond? She got bitter. She thought God was against her and she spoke against God. She even encouraged her daughters-in-law to go back to their family and their own gods. In other words, she encouraged them to abandon faith in the true God. We’re all going to face hardships and it is okay to grieve and mourn, but realize that God is not working against you. He’s the one who makes your heart better. He heals you. You will mourn and you will grieve, but don’t be bitter because God is for you, never against you.
Father in heaven, thank you for always being for me and never against me. I’m sorry for the times that I get bitter toward you and speak against you. Because of Jesus, you promise me that you forgive me and will never leave my side. Help me to trust you today and always. Amen.