Bitter Season, Better Savior
Ruth 1
Digging Deeper
KEY QUOTES:
"With the Lord, we have all that we need!"
"God uses disappointments, dissatisfactions, discipline, difficulties, discomfort, despair,
and death to shape us and mold us more into the image of Jesus, to forge a deeper
faith in us, and to strengthen the resolve of our salvation."
"The Christian life isn't about perfection or even pursuing perfection. The Christian life is about a fertile heart and pursuing Christ."
"Jesus is not just your Savior, He is not just your King, but He is also your friend."
DIGGING DEEPER
Naomi learned a hard lesson. She found she couldn't run from her problems. She and her family set out for Moab to escape a bad situation, famine in the land of Israel. They went to Moab, a spiritual step backward into a faithless and idolatrous nation. While Naomi and her family were in Moab, her husband, Elimelek, and two sons, Mahlon and Kilion, died, leaving her destitute in a foreign land, with her only family being her two daughters-in-law, Ruth and Orpah. Naomi made a hard decision. She returned to Israel, and only one of her daughters-in-law, Ruth, faithfully accompanied her.
Naomi had courage and did not give up. When she heard the famine had ended in Israel, she left Moab and headed home toward God. She is open and honest, does not hide her bitterness when returning to her homeland, and renames herself Mara, which means bitter.
Naomi more than likely had many questions. Would my life have been different if our family had not decided to go to Moab? What would have happened if my sons had not married foreign women? Why did God afflict me with misfortune? What does God want me to do next? How will my daughter-in-law and I survive and be cared for?
In the book of Ruth, God has plans to bless Naomi and Ruth. Even though Naomi can't see it, God has plans to honor the family of Elimelek as these women are faithful and trust in God for all things and in all situations, no matter how difficult.
WHAT NOT TO MISS
Main Point:
Even when we go through a bitter season, we must cling to the truth that we have a better Savior.
Two Truths from Ruth Chapter 1
1. Running away from God will make your life more bitter, not better.
- This truth is for the Christian, for the Believer.
-For the people of Moab: To a degree, they were fine. People who are far from the Lord have been blinded by the god of this world to keep them from seeing that the Lord is better, to keep them from seeing the Lord is life, to keep them from seeing the Lord is light.
-For the Christian: Running away from God will make you bitter, not better.
-Live inside God's house; you are protected. Live outside God's house; you are vulnerable.
-The Christian life isn't about perfection or even pursuing perfection. The Christian life is about a fertile heart and pursuing Christ.
2. God will show up in your bitterness and begin showing you He is better.
-Naomi isn't at a point where she can fully see God's present goodness.
-Naomi didn't return to Israel empty! She had Ruth with her.
-God can redeem you from your disaster.
Three takeaways from Naomi's bitterness:
• Don't let your bitterness blind you from seeing God's goodness.
• Don't let your bitter trial turn you into a bad theologian.
• Don't let your bitterness in life keep you from realizing that the Lord is better than life.
Even in our bitter seasons, we can cling to the truth that we have a better Savior!
-He is working
-He is redeeming
-For our good and His glory.
LIFE APPLICATION
During this week, evaluate where you are in your spiritual journey in light of Naomi's story. Have you gone spiritually backward and landed in a foreign land like Moab, where you do not want to be because you faced difficult circumstances and made choices that appeared right but were not? Consider if and how God is calling you to go back to faithfulness and trust in Him in the difficulties that you are facing. Like Naomi, take time to assess what you need to do and form an action plan to get back on track, living out God's best plan for you and your life, knowing that you have a Savior who loves you and is your friend.
SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Look up and share the meaning of your first name.
What is the significance of Naomi and her family's journey from Bethlehem to Moab?
What is the significance of Naomi's journey from Moab back to Bethlehem?
How do current-day Christians run away from the promise, the protection and the provision of God?
What lessons did you learn about making decisions and relying on God from Ruth Chapter 1?
DAILY DEVOTIONAL BIBLE PASSAGES
Day 1: Moving Away from God - Psalm 139:7-10; Jonah 1:1-3; Hebrews 2:1
Day 2: Living with Hard Circumstances - James 1:12; Romans 5:3-4; John 16:33
Day 3: Repenting from Past Mistakes - 2 Timothy 2:22; Acts 2:38; 2 Peter 3:9
Day 4: Returning to be Close to God - Isaiah 41:10; Psalm 23:4; Jeremiah 29:11
Day 5: Remaining Faithful in Difficulties - Matthew 6:33; Joshua 1:9; Hebrews 11:1
PRAYER
Lord, when circumstances in my life are complex and things look bleak, help me not to backtrack into the wilderness and make decisions that might only make sense for the short term. Let me pray, seek good counsel and face hard times by relying on You, knowing You have the ultimate long-term solution that will be best for me. If I have made bad decisions, help me to see how I can turn back and get back on the right road. I know I can rely on You, and You will be an ever-present help through whatever I am going through. Give me the faith and courage to trust You in all things, good and bad, that I am facing.
