July 14, 2008
God's Provision
Read Ruth 1:6-7 and Luke 15:11-32
In much of the world, famine is the determining factor. No matter how much you
have and how much you love your home, if there is no food, then staying put is not
an option. Hence Naomi left her home for Moab with her husband and sons. Imagine
her response to the news that the famine was now over. Clearly the end of the famine
was a sign of God's mercy.
When our bishop, the Rt. Rev. Joel Obetia, was still a teenager, he and most people
in his home territory in Uganda had to flee their homes not because of famine, but
because of civil war. The result was that an entire generation lost years of schooling,
putting them way behind. Imagine their reaction as they finally come home. But the
Lord won Joel to himself in the process, and Christians in Congo and Sudan cared
for the refugees from Uganda. God does not forget his people even in the hardest
of times.
The Lord loves homecomings. Think of the prodigal returning home, or the exiles
coming back to Jerusalem. Thank him for the stability we take for granted, and for
the times he has come to your aid. And pray for those a long way from home.
Neil Lebhar
