Today's Card from The Sacred Muse Deck

A woman, her story, and so much wisdom and inspiration - for you!

Today’s card: Naomi

Her story: Her story begins in so much tragedy and grief. Her husband dies and just after, both of her sons. A famine threatens the land and she knows she must leave her home in order to survive. One of her daughters-in-law, Ruth, vows to go with her. “Wither thou goest, I will go . . . “ Naomi refuses, saying, “My bitterness is much worse than yours because the Lord has sent me so much trouble.” But Ruth insists, and together they make the journey toward Bethlehem.

Hungry, Naomi sends Ruth out to gather up the leftover sheaves of grain in the fields nearby. When the wealthy landowner notices what she’s doing, he advises his servants to intentionally leave behind more grain than they normally would. Encouraged by this, Naomi decides to take things even further. She tells Ruth to go to where Boaz sleeps and lay down at his feet.

There’s a TON of controversy about this in the text. Was Naomi insinuating that Ruth should seduce him? Was this encounter sexual? I’m not sure, ultimately, that the specificity matters. What does matter is that Boaz falls in love with Ruth and proceeds to do whatever is required in order to marry her.

Ruth eventually gives birth to a son and names him Obed. The women of the village say to Naomi, “Your grandson will be famous in Israel and your daughter-in-law is better to you than seven sons.” Naomi took the child, held him in her lap, and became his guardian—no longer bitter, but blessed.

Hear her wisdom and voice on your behalf: