Spend time in prayer and silence with God asking him to meet you and speak to you.
Bible Reading
In the days when the judges ruled there was a famine in the land, and a man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons. The name of the man was Elimelech and the name of his wife Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They went into the country of Moab and remained there. But Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, died, and she was left with her two sons. These took Moabite wives; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. They lived there about ten years, and both Mahlon and Chilion died, so that the woman was left without her two sons and her husband.
Then she arose with her daughters-in-law to return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the fields of Moab that the Lord had visited his people and given them food.
– Ruth 1:1-6
Devotion
The book of Ruth begins with a story of many women’s worst nightmare; Naomi, while living in a foreign country, loses not only her husband, but also her two sons within a ten year period. How could a story like this result in anything other than pain, despair, sorrow, grief, and misery?
Naomi was left alone with no support system other than her two daughters-in-law, so she decided to leave Moab and return to Judah because she had heard that “the Lord had visited his people and given them food.” With that news, she was given a glimmer of hope and a reminder of God’s faithfulness to the nation of Israel. Even in the worst of times, we need to remember that God is still in control, and He is the one who takes care of our needs!
The Big Question
How can you remind yourself each day that the Lord God is in control and knows how to take care of each of your needs?
Conclude in prayer and silence reflecting on what you’ve learned.