Imagine preparing for an important life event—whether a promotion, buying a house, or a family milestone. You put in the time, effort, and dedication, only to fall short or face unexpected failure. What a disheartening moment! That’s how Naomi felt when her once-hopeful life was clouded by disappointment and grief.
Ruth 1:20 (AMP)- She said to them, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara (bitter), for the Almighty has caused me great grief and bitterness.
Famine and Famished
Naomi’s life began in the land of Bethlehem, which was also known as “house of bread.” Life was going exactly as she had planned: get married, have children and enjoy life as much as she can. But soon all that she had planned and imagined had come to a screeching halt when famine hit the land. Soon all that was beautiful turned ugly. Trees were bare, water was scarce, and all that was left were the empty baskets that once held abundance of bread.
Moving to Moab
Exhausted and dejected Naomi and her family left their homeland and went into the land of Moab. In our eyes it would seem like the next logical thing to do. Afterall, Moab was just 25 miles away and even if they had to walk there, it seemed doable. But in God’s eyes, Moab was an accursed land.
Deuteronomy 23:3-6: No Ammonite or Moabite shall enter the assembly of the LORD; none of their descendants, even to the tenth generation, shall ever enter the assembly of the LORD, because they did not meet you with food and water on the way when you came out of Egypt, and because they hired against you Balaam … to curse you.
Naomi left God’s house in a time of famine. Sometimes we too go through this feeling of dryness. You can’t hear or feel God. Even coming to church doesn’t seem to help with the famine. So we turn to Moab where everything seems to be fun, laughter, and full of life.
Bread of Bitterness
Initially everything looked good in Moab. She was able to find enough food for her family’s sustenance. Her children, Chillion and Mahlon, grew up to be strong young men. They acclimatized themselves to the cultures of Moab. Soon they found themselves two Moabite women to be their wives: Orpah and Ruth, respectively.
But life in Moab did not turn out to be all that Naomi imagined it to be. Within a span of just 10 years, her husband Elimelech, and her two sons passed away. Naomi was left with her Moabite daughters-in-law. It is at this point Naomi realized that the temporary bread and pleasures that Moab had offered were in fact the bread of bitterness and sorrow. While urging Orpah and Ruth to go back to their own families, Naomi tells them: “It is more bitter for me than for you, because the Lord’s hand has turned against me!” (Ruth 1:13).
Returning to Bethlehem
She decided to return back to Bethlehem. This is the best decision that Naomi made. Even when the future was unclear, she knew she can find refuge in the land that God had initially had blessed. Orpah decided to return to her land, while Ruth clung to Naomi. If she stayed in Moab she would’ve missed out on what God had in store for her life. When going through painful seasons of our life, we can still trust God and run into His unchanging arms.
Name Change: Pleasant to Bitter
In the Bible, name changes often promise a hopeful tomorrow, like Abram turning into Abraham. But Naomi, whose name meant pleasant, said to her people, call me Mara, which means bitter. Life had battered her with grief, loss, and those heavy, lonely moments so many of us know too well. Naomi’s anguished plea to be called Mara, was a raw cry of her shattered soul.
Life Change: Bitter to Beauty
The story of Naomi’s life is that God was able to make something beautiful come out of something bitter. God had orchestrated Naomi’s life in such a manner that eventually she became the caretaker of Ruth’s newborn baby Obed. One version translates Ruth 4:16 as: “Naomi took the child and she held him near to her. She took care of him as if he was her own son.” God changed Naomi who once proclaimed that she has no son left in her (Ruth 1:14) into one that held a grandson in her bosom!
Our Mara Story
When our beloved 16 year old daughter Hannah passed away unexpectedly a few months ago, we felt the same way that Naomi felt. Our hearts were crushed and our hopes were dashed the moment we realized that our miracle baby has bid farewell to us, and has been taken to her eternal home. My family and I felt the crushing arrows in our hearts, and at times we too wanted to rename ourselves to some version of Mara. But when the waves of pain come like a strong tide, we find that God is indeed a present help in trouble. Taking refuge in Him does not remove the pain of losing our dear child. But the Spirit of God comes to us as a comforter. We know for certain that our daughter is now enjoying life, full of joy, in the presence of our Savior Jesus. We have the peace that only God can give as we live each day knowing that we will see her soon.
Life Application
One lesson we can all learn from Naomi’s life is that God is able to change any hopeless situation into a heavenly future. While Naomi was looking at how things had turned out in the past, God was orchestrating her mess to become a message for many. We may not understand the reason why the Mara situations happen in our life. But we can be certain that even through it all God is faithful to hold our hands and walk with us, every step of the way. As my family and I go through our “mara” moments, we are encouraged to see that many people have rededicated their lives to serve God, after they heard how Hannah served God even through her 9 years of suffering. We earnestly request your prayers as we navigate this season of our life.
Dew Drops of Manna 