HEAR MY CALL

*Please take a moment to listen to the song first; afterward, move on with this week's lesson.

Being stuck is no fun. There is a difference being in the pit and knowing that you are in there. When you first become saved, you can look back and see what a mess you were in before you accepted Jesus into your life. But when you know are in the middle of a mess and it feels like you are in a dark pit, your current state of being seems completely helpless and hopeless. Lamentations 3:55 states, "I called on Your name, O LORD, out of the lowest pit." Today's song describes how this feels to a T.

Naomi, one of the women in the bible, knew about this. Because of a famine that was in her hometown, she and her family left to a location that had plenty of food. Ultimately, they left because they did not want to die. But the problem was that they went to a location that God told them not to. Like us, Naomi's family could surely justify the fact that it would okay to be disobedient since the potential of dying was now a factor. Well, as the story goes, Naomi's husband and sons actually died in the place that they relocated to--the place of supposed plenty. Here's the beginning of the story:

"In the days when the judges ruled in Israel, a severe famine came upon the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah left his home and went to live in the country of Moab, taking his wife and two sons with him. The man’s name was Elimelech, and his wife was Naomi. Their two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in the land of Judah. And when they reached Moab, they settled there. Then Elimelech died, and Naomi was left with her two sons. The two sons married Moabite women. One married a woman named Orpah, and the other a woman named Ruth. But about ten years later, both Mahlon and Kilion died. This left Naomi alone, without her two sons or her husband. Then Naomi heard in Moab that the Lord had blessed His people in Judah by giving them good crops again. So Naomi and her daughters-in-law got ready to leave Moab to return to her homeland. With her two daughters-in-law she set out from the place where she had been living, and they took the road that would lead them back to Judah. But on the way, Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back to your mothers’ homes. And may the Lord reward you for your kindness to your husbands and to me.  May the Lord bless you with the security of another marriage.” Then she kissed them good-bye, and they all broke down and wept. “No,” they said. “We want to go with you to your people.” But Naomi replied, “Why should you go on with me? Can I still give birth to other sons who could grow up to be your husbands?  No, my daughters, return to your parents’ homes, for I am too old to marry again. And even if it were possible, and I were to get married tonight and bear sons, then what?  Would you wait for them to grow up and refuse to marry someone else? No, of course not, my daughters! Things are far more bitter for me than for you, because the Lord Himself has raised His fist against me.”

 And again they wept together, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law good-bye. But Ruth clung tightly to Naomi.  “Look,” Naomi said to her, “your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods. You should do the same.” But Ruth replied, “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.  Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!”  When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she said nothing more. So the two of them continued on their journey. When they came to Bethlehem, the entire town was excited by their arrival. “Is it really Naomi?” the women asked. “Don’t call me Naomi,” she responded. “Instead, call me Mara [which means bitter], for the Almighty has made life very bitter for me.  I went away full, but the Lord has brought me home empty. Why call me Naomi when the Lord has caused me to suffer and the Almighty has sent such tragedy upon me?”

-Ruth 1:1-21

Naomi felt helpless and hopeless at this point. How often do we find more of what we were trying to avoid when we step out of God's provision? In Naomi and her family's case, they were trying to avoid death, but death came anyway. This can apply to so many different situations, and our decisions can leave us wounded, hurt, and stuck in a pit. A lot of times at this point, we long for God to hear our call.

Questions:

1. How does this week's song touch you? Have you been in this place of desperately needing God to hear you, or are you there now?

2. Consider this. Naomi and her family left to avoid the famine, but there is no indication that the others in their hometown left. In other words, despite the dire circumstances, Naomi and her family always had a choice. What do you think made the others stay and endure the famine?

3. Do you or did you feel as though you had no choice but to make the decisions that you made in your situation? Why or why not?

4. The first part of 1 Corinthians 10:13 says, "No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind." Do you believe that there are others who have the same struggle and issue as you and decided to be obedient to Christ no matter what?

Get your dance on! You're more than halfway through!! This may have been a difficult lesson for you. But be assured that God hears your faintest call, and He still has your best interest at heart. So whether you decide to take a moment to cry or leave a comment, keep moving forward. The next freedom lesson will be better. I promise. Until next Monday, have a great week!