Call Me Mara

What Naomi Teaches Us About Getting Real With God

Happy July friends!! This month, I’m going to explore thoughts, musings, and insights that the Lord has (and is) revealing to me through my work with the book of Ruth. In these weekly essays, we will explore characters in this book and how their hearts yearn for God and ultimately embrace His beautiful plans for their lives.

I pray it will be an opportunity for all of us to take time to slowly let God reveal His still small voice to us as we sit with the goodness and wisdom He so desires to share with us. So, grab a cup of coffee and take a deep breath as we slow down and rest with Ruth. I’m so happy you are here!

This week we are focusing on Naomi, a wise and beautiful woman who has much to teach us about humility and strength. I pray this essay blesses you!

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I challenged myself this week on Instagram to describe Naomi from the Book of Ruth in 5 words in 60 seconds. For a long-winded writer who is quite ‘wordy,’ this was no easy task.

In fact, I don’t think I quite nailed it, but after five attempts my patience gave out and I settled. 63 seconds was good enough, am I right??

To be honest, Substack is my preferred platform this reason. I don’t do well living in short hits, quick takes, and fast moving reels. I like to dig in, to learn, to savor the people and events and emotions and all the goodness and messiness that life brings my way each day. I want to marinate, not skim across the surface. Perhaps it is my introverted and pensive nature, or perhaps as I approach my fiftieth birthday I just want to slow down and take it all in as I see what a precious and fragile gift this life is, and how very quickly it moves.

I am enamored with the character of Naomi in the Book of Ruth, because she also does not deal in quick takes and instant gratification. Her life was hard. Like, ‘moving to a foreign country because of a famine and then your husband and two sons die’ kind of hard.

Yeah, she was going through it.

And you know what?

She did not give up. She did not give in. She resolved to move forward, one step at a time, knowing darn well that she was a in desperate and difficult spot, and there was no guarantee that she would come through it and survive as a widow living in her times.

But also — Naomi was real. She did not shy away from crying out to God in her pain, and making it clear that she was fed up and exhausted.

This is a critical narrative in the book of Ruth, and one that we learn so much from when we allow ourselves to sit with it.

So the two of them went on until they came to Bethlehem. And when they came to Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them; and the women said, “Is this Naomi?”She said to them, “Do not call me Naomi, call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. I went away full, and the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi, when the LORD has afflicted me and the Almighty has brought calamity upon me?”

Ruth 1: 19-21

Some biblical scholars interpret this to indicate that Naomi was bitter and calloused, hardened by life and its cruel circumstances. The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible is clear on their commentary. It offers this perspective: Naomi’s honesty with God was a signal that she trusted Him. That she was so close to Him, so comfortable with Him, that there was nothing she couldn’t share, including raw moments of vulnerability that felt ugly.

I relate to Naomi on a soul-deep level. I cry out to God often, and loudly, when I am facing difficult crosses in my life. As I have grown in my relationship with Him, I find that I don’t need to be so careful with my words, or hide my emotions from Him. I know Him. He is the God of the universe. And He knows me. I am His little one, His beloved daughter. And He can handle my pain, bitterness, temper tantrums, and raw, messy emotions. When I am deep in a “Mara” season, I don’t need to fear that I can’t be real with Him.

In fact, I don’t believe God wants it any other way. He longs to comfort me, as a Good Shepherd who knows and loves His little sheep. He wants to draw me close, hold me and listen as I pour out my heart: fears, doubts, ugliness, and messiness. And then he wants to speak words of blessing and strength over me. I am comfortable now crawling into His lap and letting Him reassure me:

Fear not, my daughter. I am with you. I hear you. I see you. And I love you.

What about you, friend? Where do you go in your “Mara” seasons? Do you trust the Lord enough to go to Him and lay it all bare? Do you believe that your faith is not dependent on an ever-present optimism but rather an honest heart willing to go deep with God in the dark places?

I encourage you to read the first chapter of Ruth and let Naomi’s story weave into yours. She has so much to teach us about authentic strength and courage. Read it slowly. Read the footnotes. Immerse yourself in the Word that God desires to place on your heart.

May God bless you this week!

In Love and Loyalty,
Alli