Funeral - Putting The Pieces Back Together

Scripture

Ruth 1

English Standard Version Chapter 1

13 would you therefore wait till they were grown? Would you therefore refrain from marrying? No, my daughters, for it is exceedingly bitter to me for your sake that the hand of the LORD has gone out against me.” 14 Then they lifted up their voices and wept again. And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.

Opening Thesis

THIS PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE FROM WHICH I SHARE IS A BOUT A WOMAN OF GOD WHOM LIFE HAS DEALT HER A BAD HAND

ACCORDING TO VS NUMBER 1 SHE IS MARIED AND HAS TWO SONS

HER AND HER FAMILY ARE GODLY PEOPLE THEY ARE ASSOCIATED WITH AND LIVE AMONGST THE PEOPLE OF GOD IN BETHLEHEM

A FAMINE HIT THE LAND AND SO THEY MIGRATED TO A NEIGHBORING CITY (MOAB) TO SEEK REFUGE.

BUT CONSEQUENTLY THIS IS NOT WHAT GOD WANTED THEM TO DO

ACCORDING TO VS. 2 WHEN THEY MOVED TO MOAB THEY SETTLED IN AND THEY GOT COMFORTABLE THERE.

AND ACCORDING TO VS. 3 BEFORE THEY COULD FULLY GET SITUATED ANOTHER STORM HIT. THIS WOMAN OF GOD’S HUSBAND DIED.

WHATS INTERESTING IS, THIS WOMAN OF GODS NAME IS NAOMI WHICH MEANS ( GOD DELIGHTS IN HER ) BUT AS YOU WILL SEE, ALL THAT SHE GOES THROUGH, IT SEEMS THE VERY OPPOSITE.

IN VS 4 THERE’S THIS PERFECT DIVERSION TO GET HER MIND OFF OF THE LOSS OF HER HUSBAND. (IN VS. # 4) SHE INHERITS TWO DAUGHTER IN LAW’S. THE BIBLE SAYS BOTH HER SONS GOT MARRIED.

THINGS LOOKED GOOD FOR NAOMI FOR ABOUT TEN YEARS THE BIBLE SAYS. IT SEEMED AS IF IT COULDN’T GET BETTER.

BUT IN VS 5 THE BIBLE SAYS AROUND THIS TIME BOTH OF HER SONS DIED. AND INSTANTANIOUSLY IT’S LIKE A SCAB WAS PULLED OFF A WOUND, BECAUSE NOW NAOMI IS LEFT GRIEVING HER SONS AND HER HUSBAND ALL OVER AGAIN

VS 6 IS ASTOUNDING BECAUSE THE BIBLE SAYS THAT NAOMI’S ONLY RECOURSE IS TO TURN BACK TO THE LORD. SHE RETURNS TO HER HOME LAND WHICH SHE LEFT INITIALLY BECAUSE OF THE FIRST STORM.

AND CAN I SUGGEST YOU GOTTA BE REAL CAREFUL AS TO HOW YOU RESPOND TO THE STORMS OF LIFE

BECAUSE THIS STORM MAKES HER RUN BACK TO GOD!!!

VS. 7 SHE STARTS OUT ON THIS JOURNEY BACK TO HER HOME LAND WITH HER TWO DAUGHTER IN LAWS

VS 8-9 NAOMI TELLS HER DAUGHTER IN LAWS TO RETURN TO THIER HOME AND SHE EVEN PRONOUNCES A BLESSING OVER THEM IN THE MIST OF HER BURDEN

VS 10-13 THEY GO BACK AND FORTH FOR A MINUTE CAUSE IT WOULD SEEM CRASS TO LEAVE NAOMI AT A PIVOTAL TIME LIKE THIS

IN VS 14 THE BIBLE SAYS ONE OF NAOMIS DAUGHTER IN LAWS KISSED HER GOODBYE AND LEFT AND HER NAME WAS ORPAH

(NOW I HATE TO BORE YOU WITH DETAILS BUT ORPAH’S NAME MEANS GAZELL WHICH SUGGEST THAT YOU GOTTA BE CAREFUL WHO YOU CONNECT WITH DURING YOUR TIME OF GRIEF ...BECAUSE SOMETIMES IT’S THE PEOPLE YOU THINK GONNA BE THERE FOR YOU BUT AS SOON AS HARD TIMES HIT YOUR LIFE THEY TAKE FLIGHT)

( BUT WATCH THIS IN THAT SAME VS. THE BIBLE SAYS THAT ONE OF THE DAUGHTER IN LAWS RUTH CLUNG TO NAOMI

MATTER FACT IN VS 15-17 NAOMI WHO’S DEALING WITH LOSS

AND HAS TO WATCH ONE OF HER DAUGHTER IN LAWS WALK OUT ON HER, SHE SAYS TO RUTH SEE YOUR SISTER IN LAS HAS GONE HOME YOU SHOULD GO WITH HER

AND RUTH WHO’S NAME MEANS FRIEND SAYS THIS

DON’T URGE ME TO GO BACK HOME

AND MATTER FACT IMMMA STICK IT OUT WITH YOU TILL THE END

WHERE YOU GO I GO

YOUR PEOPLE MY PEOPLE

YOUR GOD MY GOD

AND MATTER FACT ONLY DEATH WILL SEPARATE US

SHE STICKS WITH NAOMI THROUGH THE TOUGH TIMES

SHE WALKS THE GREEN MILE BACK TO GOD AND BACK TO HER HOME LAND TO TRY TO HELP NAOMI PUT THE PIECES BACK TOGETHER OF HER LIFE THAT HAS BEEN SHATTERED

POINTS

GIVE IT TIME ( ECCLESIASTES 3 )

TURN BACK TO GOD ( CH. 1 DEPRESSING / TURNS AROUND FOR GOOD IN CHAPTER 4 )

PSALM 121:1  I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills,

From whence cometh my help.

2  My help cometh from the Lord,

Which made heaven and earth.

3. TAKE WHATEVER MEANS OF PROVISION GOD PROVIDES FOR YOU

( HE ALREADY MADE A WAY ) !!