Christian Devotional – March 14, 2019

Nothing to offer. Not only did Naomi have no hope, as we saw yesterday, but she also felt that she had nothing to offer. Read Ruth 1:14-15.

Then she said, “Behold, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and her gods; return after your sister-in-law.”
Ruth 1:15 NASB
https://bible.com/bible/100/rut.1.15.NASB

Naomi has been trying to convince her daughters-in-law to leave her and stay here in the land of Moab. However, they had continued with her up to this point. Finally Naomi convinces Orpah to stay, but Ruth insists on coming. Naomi tries one last time she get her to stay too by telling her that she has absolutely nothing left. Not even her God is worth coming for.

When we are struggling to see God’s hand in what we are going through, we can get very discouraged and even discourage others from coming to God. God is still present, even in the tough times. God was still with Naomi, she just didn’t see it. She wanted to be alone to try to figure it out, but Ruth wasn’t going to have it, as we will see tomorrow.

When we are going through difficult times, do we cling to God even more or try to convince others not to cling to God? God is trustworthy and, even in the difficult times, but we have to be the ones that believe that and share that because others are watching us during the difficult times. We may not see him or see his hand and what he is doing, but he is still God and over any other pretend god that people may cling to instead. Are we pointing people to Jesus today, regardless of what today looks like?