May no oppression move me away from Jehovah

From: November 6 – 12, 2007

Pastor: Edith Cruz

Study: # 516 TOPIC: “May no oppression move me away from Jehovah” Rut 1:21

Naomi, an Israeli woman was living days of bitterness. Sometimes we do things for a reason, but we will always have to face what is inside of us, whatever disturbs us. But it is easier to escape instead of facing it. The problem is that what we try to run away from becomes worse as the years go by. It is natural for humans to always try to escape. Each one of us takes for our lives something that belongs to us, something that oppresses us, it is something that we develop and we end up doing what Elimelech, Naomi’s husband did- he ran away from the problem. When we have a great desire for perfection we afflict ourselves when something goes wrong and this turns into great bitterness. But, in this life it is necessary for us to face many things. When we do clumsy things it turns into great pain for our lives. Careful! We must be vigilant! Elimelech went to a place where there was death; he didn't seek for the solution of his oppression. The best thing we can do is to face the problem. We must see the reality of what is in front of us. Terror and anxiety want to become a burden in our lives so that we will live in bitterness. But, we are not here to live in bitterness. Instead of facing whatever wants to oppress us, it takes us, and we become lost. We must have the courage that Naomi had seen by all. Naomi was known to be a "pleasant" woman. Because of the terror that overcame her husband Elimelech in those days of bitterness, she walked with her head low and perhaps drying off her tears. Surely the Holy Spirit was working in her. For this reason in the day of our bitterness we don't have to worry because the Holy Spirit will be there working in us and delivering us from whatever wants to hold us back. When the situation or the problem oppresses us and we escape, it is because we don't see any solution. Elimelech’s family was suffering from hunger because of the oppression of the Amalekites, enemies of the region that vandalized their fields. The Israelites had walked away from God, for this reason they had no one to protect them. Then they cried out to God. We must always cry out to Jehovah for whatever is oppressing us! Naomi was a woman who went thru all those afflictions; when we feel oppressed it is characteristic of human beings to escape, because a mortal enslaves. But our liberty is in our prayers. Those Amalekites desolated all the land of the people of Israel. Elimelech should have gone to the mountains, a higher place where nobody could reach them as the rest of the Israelites did, because no one could touch them there. He didn't have to die in Moab. There is nothing better than crying out to God to conquer everything that is oppressing us. The enemy comes to steal in the day that we are supposed to receive our blessing. The best thing to do was to go to the mountain and hide their food, but we like the easy way out. Elimelech didn't want to face what he had to live in that moment.

Judges 6:7 We must cry out to God for whatever oppresses us because the more we pray the more God will support us. While Elimelech was escaping to Moab, in Israel Jehovah’s Angel came to show God’s power in Gideon. For this reason Gideon was selected by God to fight for the people of Israel. Judges 6: 14 Gideon was energetic and courageous, he confronted what was oppressing them. In Moab, where Elimelech decided to escape, there were idols and all sort of worldly things. Death was in that place. Elimelech didn't stay to cry out to Jehovah to be delivered from the oppressions. In many occasions what oppresses us does not allow us to cry out, because we are complaining the whole time and that despairs our body, it troubles us. We want to escape and then there are many losses. We deliver our families in prayer; for this reason the devil doesn't want us to pray because then he takes advantage. No matter how oppressed we are, the only way that we can be delivered is by crying out to Jehovah. The oppressions are not a reason for us to escape to the enemy's territory. Because when we abandon our place there is much loss. We must face our struggles with prayer. Death awaited Elimelech and his descendants in Moab. Elimelech should have been crying out to God as the rest of the Israelites. We have a great God who has chosen us to fight the good fight and win. Naomi blamed herself for what they had done, for escaping instead of crying out to God as the rest of the people did. Jehovah delivered Israel only with Gideon and 300 men because the people cried out to God. Naomi who was the pleasant one was now the bitter one. God had not spoken well of Naomi. She was able to admit and confess to all that Jehovah was not pleased with what they did and for this reason Jehovah had afflicted her, so that she would return to the place where God wanted her. She took all her possessions with her, but came back with empty hands. But, the moment of the oppression is just for a while, it is not forever. God wants from us to put our trust in Him completely. Judges 8:28 The land began to rest because Jehovah heard the people’s cry. We must start believing that the day of rest will come. Naomi returned in humiliation. There is nothing better than humiliation. Naomi humbled herself and returned to the place where Jehovah was. Naomi needed God to come on her behalf and if we have God on our side we have everything to gain. After the repentance and humiliation, the oppression left her. The fear of hunger and the cold possessed them so much that they lost everything, even the family. When we learn what repentance and humiliation are, we will no longer walk with arrogance. We are conquering, not escaping. There is a lot of humiliation we must live through. If we are wrong, then the best thing is to humble ourselves. We should be more sensitive to humiliation. God does not hide. He is the best witness in our lives. He is watching over our lives all the time. He will speak, He will testify about us. In spite of the punishment that Naomi had, she was able to return to the Promised Land, thanks to her humiliation. It was the only way to achieve it. From that humiliation, it transcended that from the descent of the family of Ruth our beloved Savior Jesus Christ was born. Let no oppression drive us away from Jehovah. Let us face what surrounds us so that there will always be freedom and blessings. Amen.