Powerful Times!

We have a ministry to mainly African refugees and this is what I shared with them.

I feel led to share it with you too: – At midnight tonight South Africa enters a 21-day lock-down. As we heeded our President’s call to pray tonight, our hearts went out to those who have no income during this time and face a life challenging situation. We were reminded about another lock-down in our family history.

When my father was about 4 years old World War 1 broke out. Because my grandmother was a German immigrant and my grandfather had been sent to Germany for an education and to learn a trade (that was the practice of the Moravian missionaries) the family was confined to the farm where they were stationed for the 4 years of the war. No shopping, no medical help, no post, no outside contact for 4 years for a growing family!

The climate allows you to grow some crops, but not others, using what seeds you may have stored away. There was no advance warning of the confinement, no opportunity for last minute shopping. Now here is the wonder of this story.

My grandmother’s barrel of bread meal for her young family not only never got empty for 4 years, it also did not go bad!

Be encouraged if you face 21 days or more of not knowing where the food is coming from. Sometimes things are so desperate and hopeless we cannot bear think about it.

Gen 21:15 – 16 And the water in the skin was used up, and she placed the boy under one of the shrubs. And the water in the skin was used up, and she placed the boy under one of the shrubs. Then she went and sat down across from him at a distance of about a bowshot; for she said to herself, “Let me not see the death of the boy.” So she sat opposite him, and lifted her voice and wept.

When we are too afraid to look, God is looking! He wants to open your eyes to see what He sees. We see what threatens to steal our life. God looks at what will give us life and a destiny.

Gen 21: 17 – 19 And God heard the voice of the lad. Then the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said to her, “What ails you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is. “Arise, lift up the lad and hold him with your hand, for I will make him a great nation.” Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. And she went and filled the skin with water and gave the lad a drink.

Genesis 16: 13 Then she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees; for she said, “Have I also here seen Him who sees me?”

May you like Hagar come face to face with the God who sees and discover that He has provided for your most desperate need and planned your destiny.

Blessing, 🤗

Rodney Liebich

Family, whatever the future holds remember your Father has already been there and has made plans and provisions for you. stay encourage and hopeful. Keep rejoicing and celebrating your eternal life in Christ.