“Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very
bitterly with me.” — Ruth 1:20
Naomi came home empty. At least, that’s what she believed.
She had left Bethlehem full—with a husband, two sons, and the hope of a better future. But in Moab, everything unraveled. Her husband died. Her sons married foreign women. Then her sons died too. Grief swallowed her joy. So when she finally returned, she no longer wanted to be called Naomi—“pleasant.” She said, “Call me Mara”—bitter.
“I went out full, but the LORD has brought me back empty” (Ruth 1:21). But was she really empty?
Standing beside her was Ruth, her Moabite daughter-in-law who had said, “Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God” (Ruth 1:16). Naomi could not yet see it, but God had already planted the seed of restoration.
Through Ruth’s courage, Boaz’s kindness, and God’s providence, Naomi’s arms would soon be full again—this time with a grandson named Obed, who would become the grandfather of David, and ancestor of the Messiah. “Then the women said to Naomi, ‘Blessed is the LORD… May he also be to you a restorer of life and a sustainer of your old age…’” (Ruth 4:14–15).
Naomi’s story is not about naïve optimism. It’s about redemptive realism. She was right to grieve. Life had hurt her deeply. But she was wrong to believe God was done.
So many in later life carry wounds that haven’t healed—losses that feel permanent, and disappointments that turn into resignation. But Naomi reminds us: it is possible to taste restoration after bitterness. Not because the past is erased, but because God is still writing the future.
She didn’t live a life of uninterrupted fruitfulness. But she did yield fruit in old age. Not despite the pain—but through it.
The same can be true of you.
Your later years may feel marked by grief, regret, or quiet sorrow. But God’s work is not limited to what you can see. What feels like the end may be the beginning of the next chapter of grace. The “Ruth” in your life may already be walking beside you.
And one day, your arms—once empty—may hold a promise you didn’t expect.
Further Reading
Ruth 1:16 — “Where you go, I will go… your people shall be my people, and your God, my God.”
Lamentations 3:32 — “For if He causes grief, then He will have compassion according to His abundant lovingkindness.”
Job 23:10 — “But He knows the way I take; when He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold.”
Reflection Questions
1. Where in your life have you felt tempted to call yourself “Mara”—bitter, not pleasant?
2. What signs of God\’s faithfulness might already be present, even if you don\’t see the full outcome yet?
3. How might God want to restore your hope and bear fruit through your life in this season?
Suggested Prayer\
Lord, I bring You my bitterness, disappointment, and grief. Restore my hope. Help me trust that You are still working—even through loss—and that You can bring fruit out of the most barren seasons.
This devotional is excerpted from Full of Sap and Very Green by D.C. Robertsson.
