Shattered Dreams

Shattered Dreams
From: Today God Is First by Os Hillman
December 04, 2018

"Then Elimelech, Naomi's husband, died; and she was left, and her two sons. Now they took wives of the women of Moab: the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth. And they dwelt there about ten years. Then both Mahlon and Chilion also died; so the woman survived her two sons and her husband." -Ruth 1:3-5

Naomi's life was going well. A great husband. Two fine sons who had two wonderful wives. Then the unthinkable happened. Her husband died. A little time later both her sons died. She and her daughters-in-law found themselves in the midst of shattered dreams.

How did Naomi react to her situation?

"...for it grieves me very much for your sakes that the hand of the Lord has gone out against me!" (Ruth 1:13)

Ah, we see her true feelings about the situation. "How could a loving God let this happen?!"

"Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full, and the Lord has brought me home again empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the Lord has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?" (Ruth 1:20-21)

Mara means bitter. She knew where she was. She was bitter toward this so called God of love. "How can I possibly reconcile this?!" No life insurance. No widow's fund. "What is going to happen to me and my daughters?"

The Bible says the rain falls on the righteous and the unrighteous. Naomi and Ruth moved to a community where some of her relatives lived. Ruth went out to work in the fields to put food on the table. She was counselled by Naomi to work in the field of a wealthy farmer named Boaz.

Boaz was a relative who Naomi hoped would accept the role of "kinsman redeemer" in the lives of the two needy women. When Ruth told Naomi that Boaz had warmly received her, the first ray of hope penetrated her bitter heart.

Hebrew custom was for the next in kin to care for the widow in the family. Boaz was to be this man. He would eventually marry Ruth. She would bare a son, Obed. He would be the father of Jesse, the father of David. Jesus would come from the same lineage.

Shattered dreams often lead to a world-impacting destiny. But getting there is often a process where we must work through honest feelings before we can see the God who redeems even the most devastating shattered dream.