Ruth 1: 22 So Naomi returned from Moab accompanied by Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, arriving in Bethlehem as the barley harvest was beginning.

God does not lead us through difficult circumstances to destroy us and if we hold on to his promise that he will never leave or forsake us, then we have to grant that he is in the thick of the battle with us. Naomi had seen the good times with her husband and sons. Then she became a refugee, a widow and grieving parent. Naomi’s faith was temporarily derailed by her circumstances, but now she is home. She is adjusting and finding ways to embrace the changes in her life – a necessary step to wholeness.

Has God orchestrated the time of her arrival? Look, it is the beginning of harvest time!  Friend, if you have been faithful to God year after year, rest assured there will always be a harvest. The word of God gives repeated assurances of rewards, not just in heaven, but in this life as well. Not only is it harvest time but, in Chapter 2, Naomi discovers she has a relative named Boaz who will step up for her – a kinsman. He takes account of Naomi’s and Ruth’s losses. He is an observant man. He is wealthy, a righteous man, a man of influence, he is protective, he is a provider, he is kind and does not take his workers for granted, he rewards labor and he does so generously. This, my friend, is a description of some of the attributes of your Lord! Changes will come, but never think you have been abandoned.