Ruth 1:20-21 — And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full, and the Lord hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the Lord hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?

Myra and I were watching a film about the life of Ruth yesterday. Honesty compels me to say that it was not a great movie — not brilliantly made — but the scripture could not fail to carry it. Watching it, I could not fail to be moved all over again by one of the sweetest stories in scripture. But as I watched, also, my mind was drawn to a parallel that I had never seen before.

Consider Naomi and Job.
Job prospered mightily, blessed by The Lord. In a moment destruction swept it all away. Naomi had a husband and two fine sons, who had fine wives — but famine devastated the land, her husband and sons died and she was left destitute. How did they react?
Job accepted his situation … And blessed The Lord. “Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” That was Job — a man of faith, who trusted The Lord and waited.
Naomi took charge of her life. “Then she arose with her daughters-in-law, that she might return from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how that the Lord had visited his people in giving them bread.” That was Naomi — a woman of faith, who trusted The Lord, and helped herself. She was not, though, so accepting: “Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me.”

But it’s interesting, isn’t it. Naomi and Job, in their way each trusted in Jehovah Jireh, the God who provides. And how did God respond? Why, He provided of course! You know the stories —
The Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning and Job lived a hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons’ sons — even four generations.
Naomi’s restoration was, in it’s way, even more spectacular. She saw Ruth remarried, and mother of a wonderful baby who, though she was not to know it, would be the grandfather of the boy who would be King David — and place her in the family tree of the Messiah!

How we handle disaster doesn’t matter too much, as long as we build in a good portion of trust. If we trust, He will provide!