Messages From A Mother in a Hot Mess

Introduction

The world today celebrates Mother’s Day. A day set aside to recognize the value, uniqueness and sacrifice of mothers from all walks of life.

Happy Mother’s Day!!!

Today we highlight Naomi. A mother who went through a lot. She was in a hot mess. But God is able to use her to send us some powerful messages even today.

Have you ever been in a hot mess?

A “hot mess” describes a situation that’s chaotic, disorderly, things are not the way you would like it and it’s affecting you. . .

Things are frustrating, Things in disarray, nothing seems to be going right, A HOT MESS!!!

Sometimes the mess is beyond the normal levels....that’s what makes it a ‘hot mess’

Naomi’s “hot mess”

The Faith

The time she’s living in is a godless one, it’s the time of the judges. (this may have been a time of peace) - but where they live is an idolatrous nation. Here, your faith will be tested. - This is her heritage - APPL. it’s challenging when you’re in the faithful few

They had history with this nation (Judges 11:17 “then Israel sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying, “Please let us pass through your land,” but the king of Edom would not listen. And they also sent to the king of Moab, but he would not consent. So Israel remained at Kadesh.” - This is where she lives

They had gone through a cycles of war and oppression . . . times were difficult. - This is her context

The Famine

This casues them to leave where they reside beacuse there was no food

Have you ever been so bereft of food that you had to move to a new country?

The Family

This mother has to bury her husband - Remember her condition, now this!!!

APPL. Have ever had a moment where you say to yourself, “surely things can’t get worse”. . .and then it does

To lose your husband was to lose [Security, Status, Income]

This mother, some time after, had to bury two (2) sons

These times are hard, but these are the messages from A MOTHER IN A HOT MESS!!!

Message #1

Sometimes your mess prepares your message

Ruth 1:3-5 “Then Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died; and she was left with her two sons. They took for themselves Moabite women as wives; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. And they lived there about ten years. Then both Mahlon and Chilion also died, and the woman was bereft of her two children and her husband.”

APPL. Naomi’s experience made her a perfect canditate to help her daughters-in-law through their experience

Sometimes our trial is to grow us AND someone else

Sometimes God has to bring you through that “hot mess” so He can use you to bring someone else through the same thing.

We’ve become to comfortable with a christianity that’s more concerned about looking right than being right

1 Tim 1:15-16 “It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. >>>Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate [His perfect patience as an example for those] who would believe in Him for eternal life.”

Message #2

Don’t let the mess keep you from going [back] to God

Ruth 1:6-7 “Then she arose with her daughters-in-law that she might return from the land of Moab, for she had heard in the land of Moab that the Lord had visited His people in giving them food. So she departed from the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her; and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah.”

Naomi was living in a land where her oppresors came from

This was an idolatrous land

This was a land where they did know/worship YHWH

BUT when she heard “bread was in the land”

Mk 5:28 “For she thought, “If I just touch His garments, I will get well.””

Message #3

Your influence can be powerful

Ruth 1:8-10 “And Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, return each of you to her mother’s house. May the Lord deal kindly with you as you have dealt with the dead and with me. “May the Lord grant that you may find rest, each in the house of her husband.” Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept. And they said to her, “No, but we will surely return with you to your people.””

They had a “mother’s house” to go to, but decided against

APPL. You never know if you might pull someone or push someone “mind your influence”

Message #4

Don’t let your mess define you

Ruth 1:19-20 “So they both went until they came to Bethlehem. And when they had come to Bethlehem, all the city was stirred because of them, and the women said, “Is this Naomi?” She said to them, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.”

More faith doesn’t always mean less fire

Have you ever called yourself something - “no good”, “worthless”, “so stupid”

Your situation overwhelmed you so much. . .that it shaped what you called yourself

It’s a slump to come out of quickly

Ruth 1:21 ““I went out full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the Lord has witnessed against me and the Almighty has afflicted me?””

#Bonus - Don’t let people’s mess define them

Acts 9:13-15 “But Ananias answered, “[Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Your saints at Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.]” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel;”

Message #5

Don’t let your mess blind you from your blessing

Ruth 4:14-15 “Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed is the Lord who has not left you without a redeemer today, and may his name become famous in Israel. “May he also be to you a restorer of life and a sustainer of your old age; for your daughter-in-law, who loves you and is better to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.””

Ruth made the baby, but the women address Naomi

Naomi was blessed when she was “emptied” - Sometimes our struggles empty us. . .the GOD fills us up!!!

She said “God brought me back empty” - but, Ruth 4:15 ““May he also be to you a restorer of life and a sustainer of your old age; for your daughter-in-law, who loves you and [RUTH] is better to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.””

She said she was empty, now she’s the great great grandmother of David

Which brings us to JESUS!!!

Salvation is on offer right now, Through this mother we are seeing that we can’t let the mess block us from seeing and receiving the blessing.

Restoration is on offer right now, Through this mother we are seeing that we can’t let the mess block us from seeing and receiving the blessing.