Snakes and Ladders!

Sometimes it is very depressing to even listen to the news! On one side we hear of terrorists blowing-up people, and little children being raped! On another side we hear of the havoc wreaked by the Corona virus and other natural disasters! Besides that, we are constantly threatened with all sorts of life events and disappointments that can shake our very being! The anxiety and fear in our hearts can lead only to depression and hopelessness. Naomi experienced the worst kind of disaster! Naomi had it all but lost everything! The famine drove the family to Moab where she not only lost her husband but also her two beloved sons. Grief stricken in a foreign land Naomi was bitter. Refusing to be called Naomi which meant ‘pleasant’, she wanted to be called ‘Marah’ which meant bitterness (Ruth1:20-21). In her hopelessness she blamed God, “The Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me” (Ruth 1:20).

I believe (my personal view) that human life is like the ‘Snakes and Ladders’ game that we play. When we make a right choice, we go up a ladder but when we make a wrong choice we get swallowed by the snake! But in real life, there is one guiding principle, no matter what, God is with us. When we endure grave consequences, we feel as if God had abandoned us, yet He never does. God promises us hope in all situations. Even in our worst situations we can see the hand of God guiding us, sustaining us and providing a way out for us. God can turn around all situations for our good (Rom 8:28). For Naomi, hope was personified in Ruth. Naomi thought that she had no one, but actually she had a wonderful daughter-in-Law who would not leave her all the way to Judah! But Naomi failed to see the hand of God in Ruth. We only need eyes of faith to see God at work for we have a God who can make the bitter waters of Marah, sweet (Exodus 15:23).

My friend, in all situations God is our only hope since He never leaves us or forsakes us. Sometimes God allows our circumstances to overwhelm us, so that we will sit back and watch Him be God!! The Bible says in Psalm 46:10, “Be still, and know that I am God.”

Categories: Weekly DevotionalsAuthor: Hephzibah StephenDate: 10th March 2020 Share: newsletterDisplay date: 11th March 2020

---