I went out full, and the Lord hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the Lord hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me? Ruth‬ ‭1:21‬

😮 !!!!

FYI - Naomi and her family were no ordinary people. They were people who knew the God of Israel. They were His people. Sadly, she lost her husband and two sons while in the land of Moab.

Naomi’s Story

Long ago, in the days before Israel had a king, there was a famine in the land. So a man named Elimelech, who belonged to the clan of Ephrath and who lived in Bethlehem in Judah, went with his wife Naomi and their two sons Mahlon and Chilion to live for a while in the country of Moab. While they were living there, Elimelech died, and Naomi was left alone with her two sons, who married Moabite women, Orpah and Ruth. About ten years later Mahlon and Chilion also died, and Naomi was left all alone, without husband or sons. Ruth‬ ‭1:1-5‬

Why am I sharing so much about Naomi with you?

Dear friend, most of us (myself included) are like Naomi! Yes, a famine did come in her land, but instead of taking God’s counsel — whether to move from that place or no, Elimelech and Naomi decided to leave Bethlehem and move into another country on their own. Had they chosen to remain in Bethlehem, God would have opened a way to feed them; after all they were not the only ones residing in that place.

• Bethlehem spiritually refers to House of Bread/Presence of God
• Judah refers to Praise/Worshipping God
• Ephrath refers to Fertility/Place of Growth
• Moab refers to the World/Own Will
• Husband refers to God’s leading in our life
• Sons refers to the Gifts God gave us
• Death refers to backsliding/going away from God

The Prodigal Son

A similar case had happened with the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:11-32, who chose to take his part of the property from his dad and travel far away into a distant land - away from his father and household. Doing his own will did not keep him happy there. He wasted all his wealth with riotous living, lived a miserable life without proper food or shelter and finally when he came back to his senses, he knew he had to COME BACK HOME — TO HIS DAD!!

If we do our own will, we will lack and be in want. If we do not preserve the Presence of God, we will always be in a dry state. May God help us to be found in His Presence continually in the backdrop of things happening these days; so that we hold on to Him and let Him lead us!! ❤️