Finite Understanding
Ruth 1:19-21
19 So the two of them went on until they came to Bethlehem. And when they came to Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them. And the women said, “Is this Naomi?” 20 She said to them, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. 21 I went away full, and the Lord has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi, when the Lord has testified against me and the Almighty has brought calamity upon me?”
Distraught, sorrowful, and likely confused due to the death of her husband and two sons, Naomi understood these events to be signs that God was against her and therefore treated her harshly. Her reaction is somewhat reminiscent of Job's wife who said, "Curse God and die" (Job 2:9). While having a finite understanding of their own circumstances, both Naomi and Job's wife witnessed the events that surrounded them and subsequently developed a bitterness toward their Creator. While a backstory is not given for Naomi's losses as were given in the story of Job, it is later noted that her losses were overcome by God's promise of a redeemer of Israel (Ruth 4:14-15).
Surely, you can honestly say to yourself that at some point God has allowed certain events to fall into place in your life that were less than pleasant. What emotions did you experience while going through these trials? Were you drawn more to God or were you pushed away from Him? One of the first mistakes that are often made is that we seem to presume upon God's reasons for the events that He allows to take place. Although it is true that God chastises us in order for us to press on toward holy living, (Heb. 12), we can also become too superstitious in that we believe that a certain event is caused by a specific sin that has been on our conscience; "God knows that I lied to my spouse yesterday so that's why He made my car break down" or "I cheated on my test and so God allowed me to become very ill." While sickness can be the result of personal sin, not all can attributed as such (John 9:2-3). Many events are simply the result of living in a fallen world.
While content during the time that God blessed her, Naomi's view of God quickly changes when her blessings are stripped away from her. One might say that her change of attitude is due to a shift of her affections being for the creation and not the Creator. Can we not say that we have done this as well? It seems that when all is well in our lives, our sense of needing God diminishes as we increasingly continue to trust in our possessions, our social status, and our relationships with others.
In Matthew 22:37, Jesus tells His disciples to love God with all their heart, soul, and mind; while still living with a sin nature and in a sinful world, following Jesus' command can never be fully followed all the time in this life and yet we are urged to live with God being the center of our focus. With our own strength and might, this is impossible; with God, however, it is indeed possible (cf. Matt. 19:26).
Start taking note of your emotions and thought patterns when you come across situations in life that are less than pleasant. How do these events affect your relationship with God? Hopefully, you are drawn more to God and cling to His promises revealed to you in His word. If you are pushed away, perhaps it is time to consider how long it's been since you confessed your sins to Him and repented of them; if left unchecked, we are all prone to the swelling up of pride, which perverts our understanding of who God is and our relationship with Him.
"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing" (James 1:2-4).
19 So the two of them went on until they came to Bethlehem. And when they came to Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them. And the women said, “Is this Naomi?” 20 She said to them, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. 21 I went away full, and the Lord has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi, when the Lord has testified against me and the Almighty has brought calamity upon me?”
Distraught, sorrowful, and likely confused due to the death of her husband and two sons, Naomi understood these events to be signs that God was against her and therefore treated her harshly. Her reaction is somewhat reminiscent of Job's wife who said, "Curse God and die" (Job 2:9). While having a finite understanding of their own circumstances, both Naomi and Job's wife witnessed the events that surrounded them and subsequently developed a bitterness toward their Creator. While a backstory is not given for Naomi's losses as were given in the story of Job, it is later noted that her losses were overcome by God's promise of a redeemer of Israel (Ruth 4:14-15).
Surely, you can honestly say to yourself that at some point God has allowed certain events to fall into place in your life that were less than pleasant. What emotions did you experience while going through these trials? Were you drawn more to God or were you pushed away from Him? One of the first mistakes that are often made is that we seem to presume upon God's reasons for the events that He allows to take place. Although it is true that God chastises us in order for us to press on toward holy living, (Heb. 12), we can also become too superstitious in that we believe that a certain event is caused by a specific sin that has been on our conscience; "God knows that I lied to my spouse yesterday so that's why He made my car break down" or "I cheated on my test and so God allowed me to become very ill." While sickness can be the result of personal sin, not all can attributed as such (John 9:2-3). Many events are simply the result of living in a fallen world.
While content during the time that God blessed her, Naomi's view of God quickly changes when her blessings are stripped away from her. One might say that her change of attitude is due to a shift of her affections being for the creation and not the Creator. Can we not say that we have done this as well? It seems that when all is well in our lives, our sense of needing God diminishes as we increasingly continue to trust in our possessions, our social status, and our relationships with others.
In Matthew 22:37, Jesus tells His disciples to love God with all their heart, soul, and mind; while still living with a sin nature and in a sinful world, following Jesus' command can never be fully followed all the time in this life and yet we are urged to live with God being the center of our focus. With our own strength and might, this is impossible; with God, however, it is indeed possible (cf. Matt. 19:26).
Start taking note of your emotions and thought patterns when you come across situations in life that are less than pleasant. How do these events affect your relationship with God? Hopefully, you are drawn more to God and cling to His promises revealed to you in His word. If you are pushed away, perhaps it is time to consider how long it's been since you confessed your sins to Him and repented of them; if left unchecked, we are all prone to the swelling up of pride, which perverts our understanding of who God is and our relationship with Him.
"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing" (James 1:2-4).
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