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He deals bountifully with you, never bitterly :
Grace takes you from where you are, to where God wants you to be, to abide in His goodness and prosperity, experiencing His peace and fullness in your life. And, in His word, He prescribes the path to it, in the words of the apostle Peter, He who would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit.
Let him turn away from evil and do good ; let him seek peace and pursue it. [1 Peter 3:10,11] Peace needs to be sought after and pursued; it does not happen automatically ; and there is also a divine connection to it, as the writer to the Hebrews elaborates ; Pursue peace with all people and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord, Looking carefully lest anyone falls short of the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, by which many become defiled. [Hebrews 12:14,15]
Keeping bitterness at bay, by His grace :
Grace is the divine empowering that comes to you so that you can deal with all bitterness in you and uproot it, to experience in its place the peace, the fullness of Christ in you. There are many circumstances in life that can leave you embittered and devoid of all hope, leading you to doubt even the goodness of God Himself. The story of a lady, recorded in the Bible, opens a window into one such instance, where bitterness left a painful mark, but was wiped away by God’s divine intervention. And, it indeed even today, brings comfort and hope in your heart and mine, for He is the unchanging God who shows no partiality.
Her name meant ‘pleasant’; but Naomi’s life was anything but pleasant, as she lost her husband and two sons, to be left empty and in broken bitterness. It is why she went to the extent of wanting to be called and defined by the word ‘Marah’, which meant bitter ! She said to them, ‘Do not call me Naomi, but call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me’. [Ruth 1:20] It may have been an emotional outburst ; and in reality, changing one’s name, or the way it is spelt, is never going to bring a change in your circumstance ! For, only God can change your bitter into sweet. It is the truth that comes shining through as you study the lives of Naomi and Ruth.
1. Loneliness :
Physical loss through death, led to a feeling of loneliness in Naomi, making her very bitter. She had suffered the loss of not just her husband but also that of her two sons. And, the loneliness that ensued was a very difficult pill for her to swallow. But then, a person can be lonely even in a crowd ! And also, there may be a spouse or a parent who is there physically, but absent in all other aspects. It can then make the others in the home extremely lonely. Isolating oneself is also a very dangerous place to be, for in the loneliness, the devil who is prowling around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour, can easily step in to plague your thoughts and stop your progress in life.
One needs to learn from the old fable that narrates how four cows that were safe together, were separated by the wily fox, only to end up as easy prey for the hungry lion. Spending time alone with God, is an entirely different story, for it will find you growing from strength to strength ; hearing His voice through His word, and the revelation of the Spirit, will empower you to withstand the attack of the enemy, and overwhelmingly conquer.
2 . Emptiness :
Her painful experiences left Naomi feeling not just lonely, but also empty. She felt that she was going through much affliction, which is nothing but the antagonism of people, or the pressure of circumstances. ‘I went out full, but the Lord has brought me home again empty; why do you call me Naomi when the Lord has testified against me. And the Almighty has afflicted me ?’. [Ruth 1:21] affliction is also the internal stress that comes from the enemy planting wrong thoughts in a person’s mind; and it is seen in the heart wrenching words of Naomi above. But the key to unlocking it all and finding the solution, or the removal of her pain lies in her earlier words, ‘The Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me’. [Ruth 1:20]
A distorted view of God – a wrong perception :
God is never the cause of your problem ; He is always the solution ! How Naomi perceived Him to be was not true, for she blamed Him for her misfortune. It was similar to the blind man who received the healing touch of the Lord ; initially his vision was unclear and distorted. Therefore, He saw men as trees, and needed a second touch from the Savior. It was then that he could see clearly, and identify objects for what they actually were. And, with a distorted view of God, it would be impossible to experience His fullness and overwhelming goodness in your life.
Shifting the blame – the scapegoat mentality :
The inability to take responsibility for one’s own actions began even in the Garden of Eden. ‘The woman whom You gave me’, was how Adam shifted the blame indirectly upon God Himself ! He pointed a finger at God when confronted, for he was unable to take responsibility for his own disobedience. And it still happens, even today ! When something goes wrong, the human tendency is to quickly find a scapegoat, someone or something on which you can pin the blame, though the fault may be yours to begin with.
But God is always the Restorer of your life. He restores and He sustains you ; and He never ruins your life. It is this right perception of God that will bring change in your life, which is for your good. And the reason why a person ends up blaming God for his own wrong action, the build up to it, is put forth by King Solomon in words of godly wisdom .
Hurrying without having right knowledge :
It is one’s own folly that leads to ruin ; yet the heart rages against the Lord. [Proverbs 19:3] And, how and why does it happen ? Desire without knowledge is not good ; and the one who moves too hurriedly misses the way. [Proverbs 19:2] Before you start to build something, sit down and count the cost of all that is involved, is what the Lord teaches. He shows the importance of not rushing into anything without having adequate knowledge of what it entails, not just financially, but in all respects. Marriage is good and godly ; but before entering into holy matrimony one must have knowledge and godly counsel regarding all the responsibilities and commitment that is a very vital part of it.
Rushing into it, just because it seems very attractive and desirable, will find you facing problems for which God is definitely not the reason ! In anything you need to do in life, you need to sit down with the Lord first, to think it through; it is vital that you hear what He has to say, and receive the instruction that comes from Him, in His word. And sometimes, the reason for your hurriedness could be because you have not taken the time to wait upon God to find your rest in Him, and then venture forth. For, God is never in a hurry ! Therefore, never hurry ; but know that God is in control. Very often, it is man’s own foolishness that lands him in trouble, but he blames it all on God.
It is not the person of low intelligence. It is the person who denies God ; it is also the person who acknowledges the existence of God, but lives according to his own terms, thus denying the presence of God in his life and in his decision making. He is the one who says that he is the king of his own life, and disregards God’s instruction to end up in ruins, and then has the audacity to blame God for it !
It is by His instruction, by His word, through His Spirit that He counsels you. But then, you cannot decide to take that path, foolishly and erroneously believing that if it was not God’s will He ought to stop you, making it a kind of escape clause ! And when things go wrong later, you cannot blame it all on God, for He never causes chaos or confusion ! In fact, God goes a step further, to bring you out when you end up in trouble that may have been of your own making, and leads you to fullness in life, to experience His blessing, that you may overflow to be a channel of His blessing. Blaming God is most certainly the wrong approach to your life’s happenings, however troubling they may be.
As a child of God, you are under God’s umbrella of protection. He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. [Psalms 91:1] It is when you choose to come out of it, that the problems of the world, the stormy weather can overwhelm you; and blaming God for it would not be the answer, for the good God has nothing bad to give you ! The Lord has made it abundantly clear ; that when you as an earthly parent would not give a stone to your son who asks for fish, how much more will your Heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask of Him !
The world may have many standard and grades of the product that you want to purchase, but God has just one, and that is ‘good’ ! And even if problems come, when you are in His shelter, His protection, in His power and strength you can overcome and not be overcome by it ; greater is He who is in you than He that is in the world ! What is important is getting your perspective of God right.
The God who knows all, gives only good things :
Even the very hair on your head is all numbered, the Lord assures, as He commands you not to worry. Your hair falling is something that He knows. But does it mean that He is the reason for it ? Absolutely not; that would be a wrong perception of God. It would be like the little boy who saw fire engines in every scene of fire, and concluded that they were the reason for the fire, when the truth was the very opposite. It was the wrong view ; one that when translated into your troubled circumstance, can lead you to think that since God is present everywhere, it follows that He is also the cause for the problem. But God is the Restorer, and never the one who brings ruin. And therefore, raging against Him and blaming Him will not help you. But taking His hand and asking for His help will bring you out.
Being angry with God will inevitably backfire, only to harm, and not to heal you. You would be in the position of the unfortunate archers in the Emperor Caesar’s court who were commanded to shoot upwards towards the sky, against God, and the rain that was coming down to spoil the emperor’s partying and feasting. And what goes up comes down ! The arrows came down to injure, none but the archers themselves ! Your approach needs to be right, when it comes to handling the problems that arise in your life. The Bible records how people have done it wisely and unwisely, to reap the fruit of it in their lives. They are lessons to be learnt and applied, in order to avoid pitfalls that can bring you down, and take the right approach to reach your godly destiny.
1. ‘Curse God and die’ ! :
Then his wife said to him, ‘Do you still hold fast to your integrity ? Curse God and die !’ [Job 2:9] Harsh and rebellious are the words of Job’s wife, though one has to understand also, the enormity of the painful losses that came so suddenly in her life. Job’s reply to her though, displays the truth of God’s statement about him being a man who feared God and shunned evil; for fearing God, is also trusting God. And, it is the underlying declaration of faith and trust that lies in Job’s words to his wife ; Then he said to her, You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept what is good from God and not accept adversity ? In all this Job did not sin with his lips. [Job 2:10]
Trusting God in the good and bad times :
God has nothing bad to give you ; evil and trouble come from the evil one. Job’s words therefore imply the need to trust in God, not just when things are rosy, but also when they are difficult. In fact, you need to trust God more when times are rough, for it is He who can change it for the good. It is why Job, at the end of all his testing, is able to say of the Lord Almighty, ‘I know you can do all things, and no purpose of yours can be thwarted’. [Job 42:2] You too will know this truth, when you come out of your valley of trouble to arrive at the top.
So, keep walking :
It is the simple, but wise counsel of God that comes to you when you are in a valley, and everything seems dark and depressing around you. Just keep walking ! God’s word never instructs you to stay in the valley of trouble. It is always about passing through a valley, to grow from strength to strength, until you appear in Mount Zion. For it is when you keep walking to reach the top, that you will be able to see, on looking back, how God has brought you out, and also see in front of you, the wonderful future He has for you ! So, if life finds you now, in a valley of trouble, just keep walking !
Faith – the positive response :
You cannot control the circumstances of life ; but you can decide your response to it. And, faith that trusts in God’s character and His word is the positive response. It is why Paul is able to say with confidence, ‘I know in whom I have believed and trusted, that He is able to guard all that I have entrusted unto Him’. Therefore, the question that lies before you today is, “ Do you know Him in such a manner, that you can trust Him even in your difficult times ? “. Faith that is independent of his circumstances is what the psalmist proclaims, as he says, I will bless the Lord at all times ; His praise shall continually be in my lips. [Psalms 34:1]
In the life of Job, the end of the matter, the conclusion of his life was good. It can be the same in your life, as you keep walking, trusting in the Lord. Your problem is temporary, but the blessing of God upon your life is permanent. The Sun of Righteousness will rise upon you with healing in His wings, to see you go forth in strength and power from above.
2. The ‘nevertheless’ factor ! :
So all the people lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night. [Numbers 14:1] The Israelites wept because they were unable o see the promise, and focused upon the negatives, that said ‘nevertheless’ ! “The land truly flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit ; Nevertheless, the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are well fortified … [Numbers 13:27,28] God did not bring them out of Egypt to die in the wilderness, but to enter and possess the land of promise ; and they were so close to it. But it was then that they focused on the difficulties, instead of the promise, and refused to enter into it.
In fact, the option of dying in the wilderness, or even worse, going back into slavery and bondage under the Egyptians became more attractive to them ! They wanted to die in the wilderness, and God granted it to them ! It was their sad story. But it need not be yours, as you focus on the promise of God to you, not dwelling on the difficulties that may stand in its path, and not so favorable present circumstances. You may not yet have experienced the fulfillment of His promise to you, but the God who promised it to you is faithful.
He saved you out of darkness, not to die in the wilderness, but to enter into the riches of His glorious inheritance to you. Therefore, let not a wrong approach keep you from it. The Israelites were on the verge of a miraculous entry into Canaan, when the ‘nevertheless’ factor kept them from doing so. And then, they had to wander around in the desert for forty years. You and I do not have to do that, for today is the day of salvation ! Christ came to give you life in all its fullness, through His finished work of Calvary’s Cross.
Two people entered in :
There is always a remnant in God’s gracious story ! “If the Lord delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land flowing with milk and honey” [Numbers 14:8] They were the words of faith and trust in the Lord God, spoken by Caleb and Joshua, that saw them enter into the land, the only two to do so ! God’s love and pleasure was upon them, even as it is upon you this day. Therefore, you too will do so, even as you overcome the challenges of doubt and fear that can crop up to make you stumble in the last stretch. Do not give up on His promise, for you are on the verge of a miracle ! You will enter and move forward through His empowering grace.
3 . Jonah – preoccupied with his own self ! :
But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he became angry. [Jonah 4:1] And in his anger, this was his prayer ; “Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life away from me, for it is better for me to die than to live” [Jonah 4:3] It has been said of Jonah, that he prayed his best prayer in his worst time, and his worst prayer in his best time ! In the belly of the huge fish, he prayed his best prayer, and in the end, when he should have been rejoicing at the people of Nineveh’s repentance, he prayed his worst prayer, wanting to die and not live ! Jonah, was more concerned with his own ways, that resented the repentance of the Ninevites, than the ways of God who is merciful even to the worst of sinners when they repent.
Jonah resented it, for he had a great prejudice against the people of Nineveh who were known for their violent oppression. And therefore, he went to the extent of justifying his anger against God ! But, the anger of man can never produce the righteousness of God in him. He is a great and awesome God, and His ways are higher ; it is man who needs to align himself with it, instead of dictating terms to Him ! Yes, questions may plague your mind, when injustice seems to prevail. The psalmist expresses it all, and then progresses to the remedy that can never fail, what needs to happen in you to find rest and restoration.
The focus shift :
“Will the Lord cast off forever ? And will He be favorable no more ? Has His mercy ceased forever ? Has His promise failed forevermore ? Has God forgotten to be gracious ? Has He in anger shut up His tender mercies ?” [Psalms 77:7-9] How honest are these questions that can come even in your heart and mine when it seems as if God is silent ! The psalmist voices them all, but then describes what he is going to do, to overcome all his fretting against God ; how he is going to shift his focus, to remember the wondrous works of the Lord.
There is no God, like our God ! :
“I will remember the works of the Lord ; surely I will remember your wonders of old. I will also meditate on all your work, and talk of all your deeds. Your way O God is in the sanctuary ; who is so great a God as our God ? You are the God who does wonders. You have declared your strength among the peoples”. [Psalms 77:11-14] The psalmist shifts his focus to remember and recount the greatness of our God who has demonstrated His power in the lives of His people to redeem them from bondage. He is also the God of love and compassion who intervenes in the lives of people, to bring them out of their misery, to turn bitter into sweet.
Boaz – the kinsman redeemer :
God did not give up on Naomi. He intervened majestically, through Boaz, the kinsman redeemer, the very type of Christ, the Blessed Redeemer who was to come in the fullness of time, for the redemption of humanity from slavery into liberty ! He displayed in the life of Naomi, as He wiped away all trace of bitterness, to replace it with sweet pleasantness, that He was the Restorer of her life and the Sustainer in her old age !
God still intervenes :
God, in His wondrous, marvelous love, intervenes in your life and mine, even today. He is always the Restorer of life, and never the one who brings ruin. Such is the great God, whom you worship. He is the God most wonderful, the marvelous Savior, who works in ways most miraculous to redeem, restore and rebuild you.
Your Redeemer lives ! :
You may be going through tough times in your life right now, but like Job you can confidently proclaim with hope and expectation, the truth in which you can find your rest, “My Redeemer lives”. Lean on Him, for He is rich in love and slow to anger. Let His praise be continually on your lips. For, no matter what you are going through right now, God will miraculously come through to be your Redeemer, the Restorer of your soul and Sustainer of your life.
He deals bountifully with you ! :
With your eyes fixed upon the Lord therefore, thank Him. Even now, He is changing the Marah in your life into sweet, your bitter tears into tears of joy. He is erasing forever any wrong perception in you that may have made you say like Naomi, “The Lord has dealt bitterly with me”. For, the Lord who loves you also delights in giving you what is good. Receive His blessing upon your life therefore, to declare with faith, the words of the psalmist, because you have a faithful God . “Return to your rest, O my soul, For the Lord has dealt bountifully with you”. [Psalms 116:7]
In the Name of Christ Jesus Amen.
