Misconception that when you follow Jesus, we will live in this utopian society where things travel smoothly and when they don’t we are like…Where is God?

We want to look at the chaos that is families and yet do what God requires from me.

Micah 6: 8 This is what the Lord requires of you; to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.

  1. Dead Dreams

Two Women whose dreams have died

1. Elizabeth

  1. Dream of a family now long gone
  2. We just start to realize that this is our life now.
    1. Love God but a wall between us.  If He is good why didn’t he answer my prayer
    2. Worship becomes form and ritual

2. Naomi

  1. Drought in Bethlehem and they wandered away from house of bread.
  2. Moved to Moab where her two sons marry two women
  3. Her husband and two sons die

One dream was dead because of a bad decision the other was beyond their ability to do anything about

  1. Want the world to see our pain and just stop
  2. Want to just hide ourselves and not talk about it.

2. God begins to stir

God is never stagnant in these situations.  He begins to move upon these women and what he is going to do is always bigger than just them.

  1. Naomi, it is hearing that there is bread again in Bethlehem.  I have had it here and I am going back
  2. Elizabeth, you are now going to have a child in your old age.
    1. Think in the natural
      1. How is this going to happen?
      2. How long am I going to be around to take care of him
      3. What life changes are going to have to happen now.
      4. We prayed for a child and at some point you are alright with God not answering that prayer anymore.
    2. When God begins to move on our lives it is never convenient

3. Interaction with those around us.

We want to hide but God requires interaction with others.

Naomi is going to interact with her daughter-in-laws and Elizabeth is going to interact with Mary the mother of Jesus.

  1. Not fair to compare someone who lost her husband and sons with someone who is experiencing incredible joy from a birth.
    1. God requires, do what is right
    2. Walk humbly with our God.
  1. Naomi
    1. Carried past with her and it made her bitter
      1. Changed her name from Naomi (pleasantness) to Mara (bitter)
        1. This happens when we think the Lord is behind all of our problems
        2. Miss blessing that are in front of us. 1: 20
    2. Wall between God restoring Israel and two daughter-in-laws experiencing this.
      1. Orpah and Ruth were her daughter-in-laws
      2. She discouraged them from following her back to Bethlehem
      3. World becomes all about us.
  2. Elizabeth
    1. Elizabeth is no longer going to be the center of attention.
      1. Always wanting to add her story.
    2. First one to believe Mary when she comes with her story. (Step aside and walk humbly with our God.
      1. Don’t have to have the answer for people
      2. Allow the Holy Spirit to minister
    3. Released Mary to sing a song of praise to her God.

4. God brings people back to Him.

God’s point of all of this is that people would come into relationship with Him.

Not just about us, but the decisions we make can affect those who follow us.

  1. Mary not much needs to be said about her life
  2. Elizabeth
    1. Has someone who Jesus says no greater one has ever been born to a woman.
  3. Ruth, still responsible for our own decisions.
    1. Penniless and no future in sight
    2. Your God will be my God.
    3. Great Grandmother to David
  4. Orpah
    1. Babylonian Talmud states she is the Great Grandmother of Goliath

Never able to see down the road, but if we commit to each other and allow the grace of God to flow through us, destinies will be changed.