In the days of famine they will be satisfied.

My heart has been heavy because of the job losses we've seen recently of some dear people in our church and the current economic situation which could be ongoing for some time.

Some of you reading this may have either lost your job or perhaps your jobs are looking tentative.
(If you're not in this situation and you're reading this, it still applies to you I believe, so please keep reading 🙂 )

As I prayed the other day, God led me to this verse in Psalm 37:19

I love the MEV that puts it this way: They will not be ashamed in the evil time, and in the days of famine they will be satisfied.

God loves His children. He is our Heavenly Father and He said many times not to worry about food and drink. This is a trying time for all of us. Our faith is being tested. Do we really believe what God says in His word? It's easier to 'believe' and 'agree' with His promises when everything is going well. But when circumstances change and the rubber hits the road, will our faith stand up to the test?

My prayer is that as a church our faith will pass the test and we will come out the other side,  declaring His faithfulness with such authenticity, because we've been through the fire and come out unscathed, because we've been through deep waters and come out safe and sound.

God says in Psalm 37:19 that in the days of famine, we will be satisfied or have enough for us. Some other translations say 'plenty' and 'abundance'.  Whichever way we look at it, God desires to provide for us all when the economy is not doing great, because we don't belong to this earth, we are citizens of heaven and His kingdom. His kingdom means we belong to Him and He will take care of us.

In 1 Kings 17:2-16 we see the story of Elijah being fed by ravens.
There was a famine in the land.
But God led Elijah to a certain brook. There God provided water for him to drink and food from ravens.
Later, when the brook dried up due to no rain, He led him to Zarephath to a widow who fed him her last meal. Due to her obedience, not only was Elijah fed, but her and her son were also looked after for the rest of the famine.

In Genesis chapter 26, we see the story of Isaac and how God blessed him during a time of famine.
In the midst of a famine in the land, Isaac had a promise from God that he was going to be blessed.
So, rather than look at his natural surroundings and circumstances, he chose to believe God and decided to 'sow' anyway. Verse 12 says that in that same year he reaped a hundredfold! Why? Because God had promised and he decided to believe God rather than natural circumstances.

My encouragement to you all is to keep first of all to keep trusting and believing God.
Secondly, listen to the leading of the Holy Spirit and obey.
He may give you directions as to where to look for your provision. It might be through very different means and sources.
Thirdly, continue to 'sow'.
Keep giving and keep trusting Him to do what He promised to do in your life.
Times are tough but we will get through it by His grace!