The valleys in life may feel like there is no hope. In fact how down in one luck can one feel after not only loosing one's husband but one's own offspring of children. Naomi had no hope of a brighter future where she knew she would be provided for in old age. The land of Moab where her and her family had settled was going through a tremble famine as well, and she had no more sons in which her daughter inlaws possibly marry who could provide for them. Naomi gather her few belongings and head toward her homeland in hopes to find refuge there among her own people despite she been gone from them for a time. She hoped for mercy. Yet she knew not if she went she would fine mercy for it been years since she been among her people. This is the trouble our world is in today. Many retirees return to their home village in hopes to catch up with old friends and old family members that remained behind in their area. Yet what some find is how they had adapted to their surroundings to the point they knew how to shuffle or get by where they were alone. The reason to return no longer commonplace.

Ruth and Orpah her daughter inlaws had no more hope in reality then Naomi, yet they both loved their mother in law to the point one would obey and go back to her people hoping to for their mercy from her own people, while the other daughter inlaw Ruth would not depart with her mother inlaw perhaps in fear no one would take her in and she would still need someone to care for her. Ruth was on a mission to give her mother inlaw hope, Hope that seem to fall away from Naomi. Hope that seem to come with the death of her immediate family members and the famine that had set in against the people. Yet she also knew by going Naomi would not turn her away if she continued to walk with her, so she went with her to help her. The woman knew Naomi who could not provide hope for another had more hope then she understood.

It the time when we think we are unloved, unbecoming to others, we discover we are loved by God, who already put in place people that will demonstrate the mother inlaw and daughter inlaw type of love. It the law of compassion in the storm of life. Naomi knew the God of her people did not let her people starve, which was the first inkling of hope in Naomi heart that maybe her God would have mercy if she returned to her people. Second inkling of hope came with her daughter inlaw Ruth who refused to leave her side and pledge to her that she would worship her God and her people would be her people.

Naomi talked as a woman without hope but she had more hope then she could see for herself. Perhaps Ruth seen that glimpse of a better life then what she had with her own people. No Boaz a kinsmen of Naomi would tell Ruth he had heard of her love for her mother inlaw. It was out love that Ruth went with Naomi.

How often we feel that sting of loneliness and abandonment only to find people around us still needing us for one reason or another. Our need of them is that compassion sometimes and not always because we need something in return. Sometimes we are the giver of hope and sometimes we are the receiver of hope in this life. How do you see yourself a receiver or a giver of hope.

As rumors of a fourth stimulus package maybe coming, I sitting and thinking to myself is government trying to produce hope in the people or be takers of hope. Not sure, but I do know that the financial burden of many had no where to turn this time because every nation, and everyone was in the same boat during this pandemic. Yet our nation was not without hope, nor without brains to try and figure out a solution to solving the worlds crisis. Yet with rumors of a worse virus coming it only sets knew fears in the hearts of the world.

Are we in the world of hope or a world of taking away hope. God gave us hope through his Son who died to demonstrate God's love for us and to take away our sins. To know if we ask for forgiveness that God is just to forgive us our sins. Our hope of a better life and hope of eternity is real. God through Christ gave the apostle John and the other apostles the hope of Christ to passed it on to us. We may have many fears in this world, but those fears can be eliminated with our eternal hope. We may experience many hours of loniliness but God is still there as the Great Shepherd of us all and to comfort us by his Spirit to all that believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior. The hours of the pandemic only reaching our heart as not yet over but victory in sight. That hope in our world today.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for the eternal hope through Christ Jesus, that you are faithful and just to forgiver our sins, to bring us hope of a better life with you today and tomorrow in the promise land. In Jesus precious name, Amen.

Continual Scripture Study: 1 John 1:1-10 KJV
1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;
2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)
3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.
5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.