It was hard to believe, but Naomi's feet were standing on the land from her home again. This was the beginning of the season of the barley harvest. Ruth stood by Naomi's side and looked out over the valley with curiosity. She was anxious to know more about where Naomi had once lived. It was the place where her deceased husband had grown up. He had expressed during their marriage how happy those carefree years of childhood had been. Then they had moved to Moab.
Naomi shielded her eyes from the glare of the full sun. She took in the vision of the landscape from the high road which they traveled. She could not contain a smile as she looked upon the fields below them. When Naomi had first left Bethlehem so many years ago the ground had been brown, dry and cracked. No vegetation was growing. She took in a deep breath of the fresh spring air as she gazed with wonder at the lush, green fields before them. The crops of barley went on for miles and miles, as far as the eye could see. It was going to be a great harvest for Jerusalem.
IT WAS THE SEASON OF THE BARLEY HARVEST
What an unexpected change. Naomi temporarily forgot to be bitter. She instinctively lifted her hands up and expressed her thanks to God for bringing them this far. The journey had been long and hard. The two women had faced many dangers along the way, but they had made it.
They were home.
At least Naomi could say that with great relief.
Ruth's eyes were full of questions.
The eyes of the two tired women met in a quick stare of unspoken words as their feet moved them further down the road.
RUTH ENTERED A STRANGE LAND
Naomi's eyes tried to be encouraging.
Ruth's eyes tried not to show her fear and trembling as she bravely walked into the village beside Naomi. A Moabite woman would not find welcome here. Ruth felt as if all eyes of the street were turned upon them as they entered the huge rock gates and walked inside the city walls.
"Naomi. Naomi? Is that you?"
The surprise showed on the stranger's face as Ruth looked toward the sound of this loud voice calling attention toward their quest of entering the city. She was not ready to be noticed in the public square. Who was this loud woman who ran toward Naomi and hugged her so long and hard?
NAOMI PROCLAIMS HER NEW NAME
When she finally let go and stood back to stare into Naomi's face, the old acquaintance of Naomi's was greeted with some very unexpected words.
"Don't call me Naomi. Call me Mara. For God has dealt bitterly with me."
This woman who had been so excited to see her old friend looked as if she might faint from surprise. She had probably never seen this side of Naomi's personality. Ruth was sure she was probably trying to figure out what had happened to her dear old friend. Obviously, the two women had been close and had known each other from years ago.
The woman looked down at her feet with sadness, then stepped back to let Ruth and Naomi pass.
At the last moment Naomi realized how abrupt her greeting had been and thought twice about leaving her old friend in such a way.
"Rachel, I will speak with you later after we rest and are settled. I lost Elimelech, Mahlon and Chilion while we were living in Moab. This is my daughter-in-law, Ruth. We will visit later."
Sorrow crossed Rachel's face as she glanced over at Ruth. Ruth tried to find her most gracious smile. Rachel bowed toward them, turned and began to walk away. At one point she turned around again. The old friend smiled faintly and looked hopeful again. She gave a little wave in their direction, turned around again and headed back down the street.
FINDING HOME AGAIN
"Come on Ruth. I need to find the home we had before. Perhaps we can find rest there for the night, if nothing has happened to the place in all of these years."
Ruth turned toward her Mother-in-law with concern in her eyes. What would Naomi be feeling as they searched for the place she used to love. Would it still be there? Would it be the same as before? They had no idea what they would encounter. Naomi was getting older and Ruth prayed to God to help her remember the right roads that lead to their home.
After another hour of walking, they arrived at a small cottage sitting empty and forlorn on the side of the road. The broken old door creaked as they entered the little house. The walls were still there. The fireplace had held up. A hole was showing sunshine through the back portion of the roof. The little bit of furniture left was an inch thick in dust. Mice played near the cabinets and spider webs hung from all the corners.
Ruth wanted to cry.
Naomi did cry.
She sat down on the dusty floor of the house and shed big huge tears for about an hour. Ruth simply set beside her and let her cry upon her shoulder. Finally Naomi lifted her troubled head and spoke in broken words.
"Forgive me for ever dragging you here. We will have so much work to do. I'm not sure we can ever get this house back in order for living. I'm so, so very sorry my beautiful young daughter-in-law. This is all I have to offer you, not even a clean place to sleep tonight, or a plate of beans for your hunger."
TWO DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES
Ruth hugged Naomi and looked deep into her eyes. "Do not worry Mother! We can have this place livable in no time. I'm very handy with repairs. There has to be a well somewhere close by. I will find a jar and go for some water. We can clean ourselves up tonight and sweep off a place for our blankets. This will be much better than how we had to sleep as we traveled along the road. You will see. Don't worry Mother. We will be fine!"
Naomi looked at the girl with wonder. A faint smile formed in the corners of her mouth, even though she was determined to remain bitter. She hated what had happened to them.
Ruth though was busy looking for a water jar. Soon she was lugging water from a well she had found nearby and speaking to Naomi of how they could make the beds work. The girl seemed to have no regrets. She was a million miles from home and surrounded by nothing familiar in a shack on the side of the road; but she acted like they were lodging in a grand hotel.
Naomi looked at Ruth with wonder on her face. She had no idea what Ruth was thinking.
Ruth was imagining that this might have been the way that Naomi felt when she first came to Moab. She remembered how strong Naomi had been back then. She never complained. Naomi had been grateful to God for all that they had, no matter how little or how much.
WHAT RUTH HAD LEARNED FROM NAOMI
Ruth was determined to live the same way. As they prepared to sleep Ruth stopped to kneel next to one of the dusty old beds. She bowed her head and began to thank God for bringing them back to Naomi's home.
One by one, Ruth named out loud all the ways that God had been with them along the journey. For each thing she gave thanks.
As a last item in the prayer Ruth requested one thing. "Please help me to find food for us dear God. I am trusting you to guide me and to help me to help Naomi get settled in this home again."
Naomi could not believe her ears. Suddenly she felt very selfish.
NAOMI BEGINS TO DREAM AGAIN
Ruth's goodnight kiss brushed Naomi's cheek. Then silence fell into the house as they both fell into the sleep of two very tired and exhausted women.
In the land of her dreams Naomi could see Elimelech standing in the distance. As she gazed toward him he pointed to Ruth.
In the middle of the night Naomi woke. Naomi had not dreamed in many months. She had questions in her head about her dream tonight. What was that supposed to mean? She tossed and turned awhile trying to understand an answer.
However; the next morning Naomi did not even remember her dreams.
She awoke feeling very hungry. She looked over to where Ruth had been sleeping and saw that she was no longer in the room. Knowing Ruth, Naomi figured that she was already out in the streets trying to decide where their next meal would come from.
There was really nothing for Naomi to do, so she gladly rolled over and closed her eyes again. She was going to catch up on many days of missed sleep. That would be her small little luxurious gift to herself for returning home again.
As soon as Naomi shut her eyes the sleep came fast and easy. It was the best rest she had experienced in a long, long time. She did not even wake when Ruth came bustling through the door with arms full of flour and fruit.
Everything was up in the air for the future; but at least Naomi had come home again.
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