NOEMI: 3 TRACES OF MATURITY IN CHRISTIAN LIFE

NOEMI LOST HER SPOUSE, THEN HER TWO CHILDREN...

Charming, nice, smooth, sweet...

The name of the person I would like to talk about a little means all of these adjectives above, and his story teaches us to trust in the providence of a kind God.

Naomi, Ruth's mother-in-law, begins to have her story told in the first chapter of the book of Ruth, within a context in which Bethlehem, where she lived, despite being known for the production of grapes, olive trees, wheat, among others, and, from literally meaning the “house of bread”, it was going through a period of famine. As a result, her husband Elimelech, she and her two sons decide to leave there and go to live in Moab, a pagan nation born from the incestuous relationship between Lot and his eldest daughter (Gen. 19:36-37).

After that, Naomi becomes a widow and her two children marry Moabite women: Ruth and Orpha. The Bible reports that Naomi dwelt in Moab for ten years, at which time she too lost her two children, becoming helpless.

Many of us can identify a lot with Naomi, can't we? We are living our lives and serving God normally, until the “hunger” comes over us, and then, instead of waiting and trusting in the Lord, we think that perhaps going to Moab is the best way. We take the reins of the situation and choose the fastest and easiest, even if it is a land cursed by God.

In the case of Naomi and her family it was really the shortage of food, and in ours? Is it the job we can't get? The wedding that never comes? Poor health? Will it be passing the course of dreams? Whatever it is, we can't go to Moab. That is, we cannot leave the place of God's blessing, the place of obedience to Him, together with His people, in order to seek supplies in other lands. Going to Moab is never the solution! As difficult as things are, let's stay in Bethlehem of Judah, stay in the promised land, that way we won't be helpless.

The story follows in verse 6 of chapter 1: "Then she arranged herself with her daughters-in-law and returned from the land of Moab, because in this she heard that the Lord had remembered her people, giving them bread." Here we see that God never forsakes us. At the right time, even after years of famine, He sent the bread and supplied the people. Even if years pass, dear reader, God will send the bread that will supply his need! Not only that, but just as Naomi decided to come back, so can you. If you ended up in Moab, don't be discouraged, you can come back! Remember that God is good, meets our needs, and it is worth returning to his presence and the safe territory of the Church.

When she decides to return, her two daughters-in-law want to accompany her, so she says: “(…) No daughters of mine! For because of you I am bitter that the Lord has laid his hand against me. Then again they cried aloud; Orpha, with a kiss, said goodbye to her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her” (Ruth 1:13b-14). At first, Naomi did not realize that the Lord had provided Ruth to take care of her and be taken care of by her. Young man, the Lord doesn't want you in Bethlehem of Judah just for positional reasons, but also purposeful. He wants to work on you, he wants to trust you with people, and, don't forget, he will also send people to look after you.

In chapter 2, we see that Ruth goes to pick ears in the field of Boaz, a wealthy relative of Elimelech, who comes to favor Ruth because he recognizes what she has done for her mother-in-law and because she left everything and went to join God and his people. Upon hearing her daughter-in-law's account of favoring Boaz, we see in Naomi's response the first trace of God's work in her life, when she says: “Then Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, Blessed be he of the Lord, who still he has not left his benevolence neither to the living nor to the dead. Naomi said to him more: This man is our close kinsman and one of our rescuers. Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, Ruth: It will be good, my daughter, that you go out with his maidservants, so that, in another field, they will not molest you.” (Rt 2:20 and 22)

Naomi now recognizes the Lord's provision in the figure of Boaz and knows he is a rescuer. Naomi also learned the lesson: she demonstrates trust in God's provision, and stays in the place where she can receive His blessing. So she instructs Ruth to stay with the servants of Boaz so that elsewhere she will not be molested. Now who rescued us? Boaz typifies the Lord Jesus! And being with his servants keeps us from being molested! Thanks to the Lord!

The second trait of God's working in Naomi's life is revealed in the opening verses of chapter 3 when Naomi, loving Ruth and wanting her to have a home to be happy, outlines a bold plan to be followed by Ruth, which consisted, in short, , in getting ready, going to Boaz, discovering his feet and waiting for what he said. With this second trait, we see the need to love the people who take care of us and those given to us to take care of.When we love people, we and they are blessed. Furthermore, we see that under God's blessing we are able to make plans that will be successful because He is with us! Making plans under God's blessing is a characteristic of those who are maturing.

The third and final trait of God's work in Naomi's life shows that the good work the Lord begins in us is completed. After Naomi's plan is fulfilled, Boaz tells Ruth that he has a rescuer in front of him and that he will go to him so that if he refuses to rescue, he can do it. When reporting such an episode to her mother-in-law, we wisely have: "Then Naomi said to her: Wait, my daughter, until you know where things will happen, because that man will not rest until this case is resolved today" (Rt 3 :18). Here we see that Naomi trusted the people who were close to her and saw his plans fulfilled to the end.

What a growth the Lord wrought in sweet Naomi's life! If before she left Bethlehem of Judah for not waiting and trusting in God's providence, now, as a grown daughter, she not only waited (and told Ruth to wait too) but also trusted that Boaz would not rest until he did. resolve that situation.

And do you know what happens in the end? Ruth and Boaz marry and beget a son, Obed and the Bible reports: “Then the women said to Naomi, May the Lord be blessed, who has not failed to give you today a grandson who will be your ransom, and be famous in Israel the name of this. He will be the restorer of your life and the comforter of your old age, for your daughter-in-law, who loves you, gave birth to him, and she is better for you than seven children”.

Dear reader, our God is the I Am! He is the God who provides! In our lives we will go through periods of famine, when the land is dry, but we can learn, like mature Naomi, that the best thing is to wait and trust in the Lord; He uses the difficulties and ease of life to deal with us. He is our rescuer, and does not rest until he has fully supplied us.

Naomi came back bitter, but was rescued, not just from her financial situation, but from her shattered spiritual state. She is now recognized as a grandmother, has a descendant, and ends the story happily. The Lord worked in it with his providence. Young man, the Lord rescues not only your exterior, but your interior as well. God's work in her gave her, as a delight, Obed. God's work in us will give us, as a delight, Christ and His Kingdom! Hallelujah!