Family Life
Many trials confront families. Some create seismic changes in the landscape and trajectory of their lives. In the days of the judges, we learn of one family and see the God whose hand remained steadfast in it all. Elimelech and Naomi, in this time of oppression and famine, were thrust from their home in Bethlehem, Judah, to the land of Moab.
After Joshua died, there were still promised parcels of land unclaimed. Another godless generation arose who did not know God had delivered them from Egypt and promised them this land. Elimelech’s family experienced what happened when everyone did what was right in their own eyes. God strengthened their enemies, resulting in exorbitant taxes and serving the neighbours they never defeated.
Besides oppression, they suffered times of famine. Long dry periods left more dust in their larders than flour. Livestock could not survive without water or pastureland, and what livestock they had was slaughtered long ago. Elimelech was tired and hungry. And in the suffering, he remembered Abram had faced this dry, unyielding land and fled to Egypt. Yes, their family graves were on this land. Their dearest friends and kinsfolk lived here. They had fought battles for this land. But the gnawing pain wasn’t going away. The promises had fallen flat.
Elimelech remembered better days. Wasn’t it just yesterday that the boys and their friends chased each other through the gardens? Or the other evening he came home to the sounds of Naomi and her friend laughing over heated goat’s milk and biscuits? Now the future lay unknown, but without food, there wasn’t one. Their strength already diminished, Elimelech, Naomi, Mahlon, and Chilion set out from those they loved so deeply.
We know God’s hand was in it all. But at the time of this story, there was a family in turmoil, struggling to know what to do, and being forced away from what was to have been the land of promise.
