A Love Most Precious: A 10-Day Reading Plan Based on the Book of RuthSample

The name of the man was Elimelech and the name of his wife Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They went into the country of Moab and remained there. But Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, died, and she was left with her two sons. RUTH 1:2–3 ESV

We try to keep up as the world keeps spinning around and around, but when tragedy hits, it feels like our planet moves on without us. Yes, everyone around you seems to be whirling on without you, even in giddy and garish ways. Nothing seems to matter. Not the merriest spring day or the handmade gift from a best friend. Not a promotion or a birth or a wedding. In fact, the brighter the moment, the darker you may feel.

And so it goes when someone you love dies—it can feel numbing and surreal and unbearable. Sometimes this life does not hold back its pain and suffering. The book of Ruth tells us that Naomi’s husband died while their family lived in the land of Moab. It must have been so hard to lose a spouse while in a foreign land. To grieve the loss of your beloved, to feel the unholy misery of living in a pagan land, to miss the fellowship of close friends, and to manage the anxiety of not knowing what to do next. Naomi surely must have remembered her God and called out to Him in her distress. Perhaps she clung to Him, relying on Him for His comfort. His rescue. His provision.

When tragedy hits us today, we can find comfort in the fact that Christ knows the sadness of living on a fallen earth. In fact, when Jesus walked among us, He was called a man of sorrows. He knew what suffering was. He knew what death was like. He knew (and still knows) it all. We can find sweet peace in this knowledge and deep comfort as we fall into His arms of mercy. For help. For healing. For everything.

Oh, dear God, I have known hardship, and I have known sorrow. Thank You for staying near me in my distress. Take me into Your arms of mercy. Bring me the peace and comfort that You promise in Your living Word. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.