Slide 2:
Naomi’s story of courage and faith can be found in the Book of Ruth.
Consider for a moment your husband comes home and tells you he can’t find work and because of that you and your children will have to move to another country.
You would be shocked, what will happen to all your family ties, your friends, you security?
Because you have no other alternative you agree to make the best of the situation and move. That is exactly what happened to Naomi.
Naomi and her family move to Moab in search of work. Culturally Moab is very different from Bethlehem.
As a mother you try and settle into the new situation and keep your children away from bad influences.
Then, Elimelech your husband dies.
Naomi is left in this strange country with only her sons.
Slide 3:
It is the responsibility of your sons to take care of their widowed mother and they willingly do that but then they turn their backs on your family heritage and marry Moabite women.
You are shocked, but they are still your sons so you come to accept, and welcome your daughter-in-laws into the family.
As if life isn’t hard enough both sons die and you are again left without male support in a male dominated foreign society.
She couldn’t help but wonder why God had allowed so much sorrow to enter her life, but she remained faithful.
She tells her daughter-in-laws to return to their mothers because they are still young and could remarry.
Orpah agrees and leaves for home.
Ruth on the other hand has more compassion and stays.
Slide 4:
Naomi gratefully accepts Ruth’s decision and the both of them return to Bethlehem. Ruth is quickly identified as not only loyal, pretty and a hard worker.
She has even taken on the responsibility of feeding and caring for Naomi.
The local women come to say that Ruth is worth more than seven sons.
Ruth comes to the attention of Boaz who eventually marries her and together they give Naomi the greatest gift possible, a grandson.
Slide 5:
Naomi’s grandson is named Obed and he will become the father of Jesse who will be the father of the famous King David.
Naomi was a faithful wife, loving mother, and certainly a loving grandmother who through all her sorrows remained faithful to the God of Israel.
Her greatest rewards came late in life but they came in God’s way and timing. The antidote of fear is trust. Only faith can cure your sorrows and faith is a gift fed only by obedience and acceptance of God’s will.
Slide 6:
To go to our website click on the above Saint Paul Ministries
www.SaintPaulMinistries.net