Stepping outside as dawn begins to break, I am surrounded by thick fog. At this point, I am thankful for any kind of moisture in the air.

In my last post I wrote about a famine in Bethlehem. One so bad that it prompted Elimilech to take his family to Moab, a pagan nation. It was an act disobedient to God as He promised that He would restore Bethlehem after His judgement was over.

It’s easy to say that they should have trusted God and obeyed. But it’s not so simple to do it.

There is a famine on the farm right now. One so bad that cows and calves are sojourning to other fields, new territories just to find grass. The ponds are drying up because of dry weather and severe heat. So we let them roam to find shade and food wherever they may.

Several times a day, I fill the water tubs in the pasture. This morning, the fog is heavy but I can see the silhouette of the frail cows as the sun rises behind them. They’re watching me with hope that I might have food to give. But all I can provide for them in that moment is cold water.

I want to save them all. I want to ease their hunger. But there’s only so much I can provide.

So yes, I can empathize with Elimilech who just wanted to keep his family alive. After he and his sons passed away, his wife and daughters-in-law lived on.

It was in the fields in Moab where Naomi heard that God was restoring Bethlehem, just as He had promised. (Ruth 1:6) Naomi seemed to have no hesitation on taking her daughters-in-law and go to where God was providing. She had no idea that her decision to go back to God would lead to blessings beyond her imagination.

There are going to be tough times such as these. There will be famines. There will droughts. There will be sicknesses. There will be thick fogs where all you can see is the what’s right in front of you. But God sees beyond it. He created the path behind it. So I keep my eyes on Jesus because He provides the hope and blessings beyond my imagination.

I pray that God restores this land and brings all things back to health.

Songs & scripture for times such as these: Whispering Hope (Jim Reeves) ; Even If (MercyMe) ;I Will Carry You (Ellie Holcomb)

Philippians 4:6 ; 2 Timothy 1:7 ; Isaiah 40:31