Focus: God Holds The Future

Text: Ruth 1:11

"And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?"

We live in a world where life suddenly happens! It did for Naomi, and it wasn't funny. Her once sweet world came crumbling down. First, her sweet husband died. Second, her two adorable sons also died one after the other. Finally, all means of livelihood came to an abrupt end. Wealth of men and means disappeared from her life. One more thing, how she felt in her body and the way she looked in the mirror was enough to convince her that age was no longer on her side.

On every side of her life all she could see were loses. She was gripped with the pain of loss. Life's sweet taste turned sour for her. Indeed it went from sweet to bitter. With a feeling of hopelessness she said to those who came to welcome her home, 'Call me Naomi no more. Call me Mara instead, for life has dealt badly with me.'

While on her way back to her native land, Naomi persuaded her sons' wives to return to their own country and start a new life there. From her line of reasoning it made no sense to have them go with her. And to support her sense of logic she asked them, "Are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?"

For Naomi, life has lost its meaning and the future is empty. Nothing to look forward to. But let me show you a verse from the book of Ruth that proves Naomi wrong. The women of Bethlehem said to Naomi, "There is a SON born to Naomi…" (Ruth 4:13-17). Naomi nursed her own son given to her by the same Ruth she tried to discourage from following her.

Stop looking at life solely with the lens of where you are and what is happening to you. Life may seem ugly from where you are, but certainly not from where God is. Besides, God uses your ugly circumstances as his raw material to create your miracle.

God finally gave Naomi a son from a womb not her own. And the son was nonetheless legitimately hers. Future was no longer dark, bleak, blank and bland. She now had something to look forward to. Interestingly, from that child came David and Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Life wasn't meaningless after all, and all hope wasn't lost.

Listen, your empty 'womb' or whatever it is, cannot limit God. God knows what to do to put 'sons' on your laps and in your life.

Don't be defined by happenstances and circumstances of life. Don't lose hope or give up on your dreams. When things happen, look at life from where God is, not from where you are. In all things and at all times, always get God's perspective. Seeing life from God's vantage point changes your whole outlook on life and gives you the right attitude and the grace of fortitude to forge ahead regardless.

God won't let your life end because of happenstances. Your life will end on a good note. God is giving you a new dawn and a fresh start. God holds the future and you are safe in His hands. Amen.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter