Naomi's Experience with Child Loss - Part 1

Training for Today: Cross-train for 45 minutes

Devotion: Naomi's Experience with Child Loss - Part 1

For the next two days, we’re going to look at the Old Testament character of Naomi. During a time of famine, Naomi, her husband Elimelech, and her two sons and their wives all traveled to the land of Moab in the hope that life would be better there. What we find out instead is that Naomi’s husband died shortly thereafter. Her sons had married Moabite women (Ruth and Orpah), but died 10 years later.


Here’s what Naomi said to Ruth and Orpah after experiencing these losses: “It is more bitter for me than for you, because the Lord's hand has gone out against me!” Later she said, “Don't call me Naomi. Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The Lord has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me” (Ruth 1:13, 20-21).

I think it’s easy for us to empathize with Naomi; we remember, or perhaps still experience from time to time, the feelings of bitterness and affliction that came with our losses. It’s easy to say that our lives would be full if the loss hadn’t happened, but that now we feel emptiness.

What do you think God’s view of Naomi’s situation was? What do you think God’s view of your situation was? Does loss happen to afflict us or bring misfortune upon us? While it may feel that way at the time, read the following from Hebrews 12:18-20, 22-24:

“You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them . . . But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the first born, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.”

The Lord draws us close through our sufferings and trials on this earth! We haven’t come to a place of darkness and gloom, but of the light and hope of heaven! The above verses from Hebrews 12 serve as a warning against refusing God’s call to us. God called to Naomi through her suffering, and He does the same for you. Through the blood of Jesus, we are so close to our little ones whose names are written in heaven!

Prayer
Dear Lord, help me to recognize your hand at work in my life, and help me to remember that you work all things for my eternal good. Amen.