Only empties are filled

Only empties are filled

A long time ago, in the land of promise, there was a small town called Bethlehem. It could be considered ironic that this town, whose name means “house of bread”, was suffering a famine. In a certain home in that town the cupboards were bare and the threshing floor was quiet. So the man and his family who lived there decided to move to a more promising land called Moab. They reasoned that waiting for God to visit his people with kindness is all good and fine, but a growing family has to eat. Their two sons needed to be cared for, to get good jobs and to be of help in their parent’s old age.
Yet Moab turned out, on the surface, to be a place of dead ends. The man dies and his two sons quickly imitate him with their own early deaths, but not before they get married. What is left of the family is the man’s wife, Naomi, and her two daughters in law. So the three men are gone and now the three women must fend for themselves. This leaves very uncertain roots indeed to try and grow the family tree.
While in Moab, Naomi learns that the Lord has visited his people once again. And this visit was with kindness. So she decides to return to the well-stocked house of bread. Along the way she deals with one more loss; a daughter in law turns back. And so Naomi arrives at a full Bethlehem, but she herself is empty.

Ruth 1:20, I went away full but the Lord has brought me back empty.
This verse is probably a complaint by Naomi. And who can blame her after reading the first chapter of Ruth. Still I find it satisfying that when Naomi speaks in the first two chapters she often uses the name of the Lord. She complains, and she rejoices, but both are done using God’s name out in the open, professing.
So maybe this is not so much a complaint as a statement of deep faith. Could it be a life confession wrung out of her messy living experiences with the Lord close by in her heart and on her lips? Maybe she is admitting,” I went away full of myself and the Lord brought me back empty of myself.” And we can be encouraged by following the rest of the plot and seeing what the Lord can accomplish through characters that are empty of themselves.”

Even in her sorrow Naomi acknowledges God's sovereignty and yes, the more empty we are the more we can be filled. Thanks for sharing JoeT.
I love the book of Ruth! Reminds me to take shelter under the shadow of HIS wings!

Excellent!