Naomi's Crisis Of Meaning Series

INTRODUCTION: 196

Last week, our first reading of Ruth changed how we see God’s providence and activity in our lives. We don't get God's attention until His timer reaches zero. We learned that we can be hopeful because He's active in each of our lives all the time. His love for us never falters regardless of whether we experience feast or famine in our lives.

Naomi and Ruth are in a time of famine. Naomi and her husband moved to Moab to flee the famine in Israel. Naomi is now a widow. She had two sons who married Moabite women, and now both of her sons are dead. Naomi is resolved to return home believing God has caused her misery for she has heard the famine has ended there. At her urging, she has persuaded one of the two daughters in law, Orpah, whose name means neck turned backwards to go back to the Moabites.

No matter how much Naomi tries, her other daughter-in-law Ruth, whose name means “dedicated and compassionate friend,” not only is determined to journey with Naomi to Bethlehem, but she also pledges herself to accept Israel’s God as her own. Here begins our reading:

RUTH 1:15-22

Problem in the Text: 388

Grief captured the spotlight last week in verses 1-14.

Naomi’s grief at losing her husband and two married sons.

Orpah and Ruth lost their husbands, a brother in law, and a father in law.

And finally, a torrent of tears when Naomi insists that Orpah and Ruth return to their families in Moab. Orpah abandons Naomi in verse 14 with her family and her gods. It's like another death and we never hear about her again. It's an enormous amount of grief to share among three women.

But now in verse 15, the spotlight turns in large part in verse 15 to Naomi’s grief. Naomi’s grief now looms large. In verse 15, Naomi franticly tries to convince Ruth –

After all Naomi is all too painfully aware that Ruth’s entrance into Bethlehem was likely to cause more grief for both of them. Non-Jewish outsiders were often not welcomed in Bethlehem or Israel. Last but not least, even Naomi's physical appearance is impacted by her grief. Verses 19-21

It's more than grief, more than depression. Naomi's grief has accumulated into a full-blown crisis of meaning. She feels fractured from herself, others, and the world. Mostly, she feels disconnected from God. She sees no future for herself. Her identity as a wife – GONE. Her identity as a mother x 2 – GONE. Her faith as a Jew – NEARLY DEPLETED. A part of her is recognizable, but another is not. The meaning of Naomi's name - pleasantness - disappears. Stop calling me Naomi. I'm called Mara because I've been afflicted by the Lord. She is defined by her circumstances and her deepest emotions.

Problem in the World: 349

Far too often we find our deepest seated emotions tied to our circumstances and identities. Moments of peak celebration yield joy. Moments of grief and trouble find happiness fleeing leaving a vacuum quickly filled with doom and gloom. Layer upon layer it builds until it becomes a full-blown personal meaning crisis. We often feel disconnected from ourselves, from friends and family, and from the rest of the world for weeks or months at a time. Most of all, we may feel disconnected from God or as if he has withheld his love from us. Worship is hard and we open the Bible less. It’s those times when the future looks most bleak. There is something far more ominous here than grief or depression. There is no doubt that it is toxic to our relationships, if not sinister.

But pastor, we are Christians – how can it be possible not to have that sense of joy from being a follower of Christ? What we know from Naomi amounts to three or so identity levels – wife, mother, and faith. Three identities in disarray.

Take a moment to think about how many identities we have today that could go awry. Do you have trouble keeping all your identities in check?

· Red, blue, or purple political party preferences and the relationship strains it sometimes cause.

· Upper Class, Middle Class, Lower Class

· Family Identity, Public Identity, Church Identity, Faith Identity

· School Identity, Activity Identity,

· Work Identity, Retirement Identity

· Healthy Identity or Sickness - Your identity is hijacked when disease now defines you

· Unresolved Issues or conflicts from your past like an argument with a friend or relative that was never resolved.

- Like silly putty stretched to our limits - the influence of social media and the never ending crisis.

We find ourselves in a meaning crisis – especially when we allow our deepest seated emotions to be driven by circumstance rather than faith. And if you have been doing that, let me assure you, you are not alone in doing so.