When Things Seem Their Worst

Ruth 1.19-22

The sovereignty of God
Naomi was beating herself up over her bad decisions.

Regret doesn't help you move on. It can paralyze you.

1. When things seem their worst, God is about to move. vs.20-21
It certainly seemed that way to Naomi.
Name change significant... A trend to change names in your 50's indicative of a person not happy with themselves.
For a Hebrew woman to do this was huge.
She went from "My delight" to "Bitterness".

There was a reason for that, a good reason, three good reasons. They were, her husband, Elimelech, her sons, Mahlon and Chilion. They left Bethlehem with her and she left them in Moab, dead. She buried them there.

She is looking at her situation without looking at the Hand of God.
She is looking at her losses.
She is looking at her situation.
Ruth is not in view. She doesn't realize that Ruth, the Moabitess will be an instrument to bring her joy, to be used generations before to bring in the Messiah.
She was looking back instead of looking up.
She was looking at the LORD in her darkness rather than looking to the LORD as David said, "my light and salvation". Psalm 27.1
How do you relate to the LORD?
I think the greatest compliment anyone could ever give is what was said about Abraham: 2 Chronicles 20:7 Our God, did you not drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend?

Things seem their worst when we do what Naomi did.
Count your blessings. That is a good habit to get into. O


2. All is not lost. vs.21-22
She left with a family and came back as a widow whose sons had died.
However she had Ruth, who proved to be her greatest blessing!

She was back in the "House of Bread".

She had survived the famine and apparently Bethlehem had as well!

She seemed to be wondering why God spared her life. Why am I here?

She was alive. If you are alive God is not finished with you! If you are alive there is hope.


3. A new day is about to dawn. v.22
The beginning of the barley harvest.
The famine was over.
Much more than that, so much more!!!
Naomi was about to experience the second half of life. It was going to turn out much differently than she had projected.
Ruth 4:13-17 So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When he made love to her, the Lord enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son. The women said to Naomi: “Praise be to the Lord, who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel! He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons, has given him birth.” Then Naomi took the child in her arms and cared for him. The women living there said, “Naomi has a son!” And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.


Stop projecting. Stop coming up with scenarios. Stop thinking the worst.

You never know what the LORD may do!