Ruth 1:19-22 – KJV – „So they two went until they came to Bethlehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved about them, and they said, Is this Naomi? And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. 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? So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest.„

The Lord Jesus told three parables to explain the fact that heaven and earth rejoice when a lost soul is found again and comes back home. These parables are found in Luke 15: 3-31 and they are about The Lost Sheep, The Lost Coin and the Prodigal Son. Through these parables the Lord Jesus is telling us that there is much joy in heaven over one person who left the way of righteousness at a given time, lived a wretched life, found himself or herself lost in the turmoil of life, then came back to his or her senses, realising that they had been wrong the whole time and deciding to come back to where they actually belong. The Bible tells us in Ruth 1: 19 that the whole city was “moved” at the return of Naomi from the land of Moab. When she had left Bethlehem some years ago, we can as well assume that her departure had not left her relatives and close friends indifferent. Now they were all happy to see her back home, which means that she had not been forgotten and even though many years had passed, her place was still secure in Bethlehem. The whole city still remembered her. Even though she had gone through tough times, her physical appearance had not drastically changed, so that those who knew her back then were still able to recognize her. Not only her friends and relatives were happy about her return but heaven also rejoiced because her coming back to Bethlehem was a step that was going to change her story for ever.

If the time to say goodbye is always painful, the time where people meet again after a certain period of time is always full of happiness, especially after a long period of separation. And as we all know, what happens when people who did not see each other for a long time is that they share news about their wellbeing. In the case of Naomi, her return caused so much excitement that everybody wanted to know how she had been fairing in Moab, and what had become of her husband and her two sons. It was a return mixed with joy and sadness because she was coming back to her people and to her family, but part of her heart was still in Moab where she had lost her closest relatives, and said goodbye to one of her daughters-in-laws. The people who welcomed her could not wait to hear her story. They were excited but also curious. Why was she coming back with this strange woman at her side? Where were her two sons and her husband? Naomi had to tell them the sad story of her life in Moab. And to conclude her sad story, she told them: “Do not call me Naomi. Call me Mara, because the Almighty has dealt quite bitterly with me. I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? After all, the LORD has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me.“ The sad story of Naomi raised so much compassion all around. People were sorry about the difficult things that had happened to her. And they could only agree with her that indeed, God had punished her and dealt very harshly with her. She was coming back with a broken heart and a heavy spirit. She had decided to come back home no matter what the situation would look like. She had decided that she would die and be buried in Bethlehem. She had decided to gather some courage, strength and faith back, but somewhere inside of her she was still blaming God for the evil things that had befallen her. She preferred to be called Mara, which means bitter, instead of being called Naomi, which means pleasant. As far as she was concerned, she could no longer see anything pleasant about her life because she had lost everything. Really?

The curiosity about Naomi’s return was even stirred the more by the presence of this beautiful young lady who stood close to her and looked so shy. Who was she? Naomi informed them that she was called Ruth and was one of her Moabite daughters-in-law who had decided to go with her to Bethlehem. Some of the people who were listening to Naomi admired the courage and the boldness of this young lady. Others looked at her with contempt, thinking: “What does a Moabite idol worshipper has to do in Israel? How could Naomi dare bring such a stranger in our land? She will corrupt our children and steal our husbands away…” But because the people of Israel were commanded by the law of Moses to treat strangers well, knowing that they themselves had been strangers in Egypt for over four hundred years, they had to welcome Ruth and at least give her a chance to prove that she was not a Moabite just like any other. She had accepted the customs of the Israelites and she was willing to worship the God of Israel. As time passed by, the people of Bethlehem could indeed see something different in Ruth. She was truly a virtuous woman. She was loving and caring, and Naomi soon realised that she had not lost everything in Moab.

Ruth and Naomi came back to Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest. God was welcoming them with the promise to take good care of them. They would not have to worry about what they would eat to sustain their lives. Naomi had managed to settle down with Ruth with the help of some relatives who had been kind enough to offer their help, and a new life was starting for these two widows who had vowed each other love and tender care until death separates them. Naomi’s decision to go back to Bethlehem had been prompted by the news that God had blessed her people with bread. It was such a beautiful sight for both Naomi and Ruth to arrive in Bethlehem and to see the whole city in full motion. People were going up and down carrying heavy bags of grain on the back of their donkeys. Indeed, God have visited and blessed His people. The children were playing and running around in the streets and the women were at the well fetching water to take care for their households. Naomi had missed this life so much. The air and the atmosphere were charged with happiness and joy, and she could feel the promise of better days to come. Naomi stood at her window and watched the whole motion in the street. She took a deep breath and decided to make the best out of her new situation with her lovely daughter-in-law.

The Lord Jesus said that the angels rejoice in heaven when a sinner repents. In the parable of the lost sheep, He said that the shepherd who found the one sheep that was lost calls his friends and rejoices with hem because he has found his lost sheep. The woman who lost her coin and found it is so happy that she organizes a feast with her neighbours and friends to celebrate the event. And also, the return of the prodigal son causes his father to throw a big party to welcome his son back home. We can imagine that the friends and relatives of Naomi organized a welcome party for Naomi and Ruth when they returned from Moab. After all, if her entire family had died in Moab, it means that it could not and should not be taken for granted that she was still alive and was strong enough to travel from Moab back to Bethlehem. At least for the fact that she was still alive and was accompanied by her precious daughter-in-law, it was a reason enough to thank God and celebrate Him for His mercy because as long as there is life, there is still hope for a better tomorrow. And during that celebration where her family gathered together, presentations were made. Naomi met some old family members, but also some new ones that had been born after her departure. It was a happy moment. This party also gave Ruth the Moabite the opportunity to meet Naomi’s family and start to get acquainted with the customs and the way of living of the Israelites.

It does not matter how much we consider ourselves beaten by life, when we look at it closely, we will always find a reason to praise the Lord. We should always be ready to give thanks to God in every situation. Just as King David said in Psalm 34, His praise should always be on our lips. And it does not matter how far we have gone away from God’s righteousness and holiness, it is never too late to come back. Today is the day of salvation. Let us run to Him as soon as we hear the call because tomorrow is not a promise. We can always make use of today to make things right with God, with ourselves and with the people around us. As long as we still have the breath of life, and as long as the grace of God is still available, we can turn things around and take the best decisions for our lives. God is always ready to welcome His children who are willing to put an end to their own ways that are contrary to His. He has unspeakable treasures in store for us, and His plans for His people are only plans of good, to give them a future full of happiness, freedom and success. The way that leads back home to Jesus who is our heavenly Father is challenging because you will face opposition and rejection. But once you break the boundaries of fear to step into the realm of faith, you become a citizen of heaven and your name will be written in the Book of life. md