Benescke Janse van Rensburg

A farmer from Garies next to the West Coast, Gert Sarrisam and a congregation minister from Laingsburg, Mias Nortier. What do these two men have in common? A month ago, both were despondent. Gert found it difficult to stay positive seeing his cattle losing weight, knowing that there was no food for them in the field. It is considered to be the worst drought in 100 years. For Mias, it was increasingly difficult to keep his community and congregation positive and filled with faith when the rain stayed away, despite several days of prayer for rain.

In a step of faith, Gert left his farm two weeks ago to visit Israel as part of a tour group. At the Wailing Wall in Israel, he stood with his hand on the wall, begging God to send rain to his farm in South Africa. Likewise, when the Riders for Unity, a group of motorcycle riders visited Laingsburg two weeks ago, Mias took them to the dry Buffels River where they prayed together for rain. As a sign of their faith, like Joshua and the Israelites in Joshua 4, they stacked a pile of stones in the river bed with a green cross on top of it. This was a sign of their faith and trust in God.

Did God hear the prayers of these two men? He sure did. With Gert’s return to Garies on Friday, his heart was filled with gratitude. In a picture on social media, Gert held the rain meter with 17mm of water in it. His farm was soaking wet. Also in Laingsburg, the windows of heaven opened and on Wednesday afternoon, in just 30 minutes, for the first time this year, 30mm of water fell. Mias and his wife rushed to the rivier, just in time to take a video clip of the water flowing into the river, straight towards the stone pile they packed. In the background of the video, you can hear Mias’s words, "Thank you Lord." He knew God had answered their prayers.

In Psalm 13:2-4 we read the Psalmist’s words during a drought time of his life, "O Lord, how long will you forget me? Forever? How long will you look the other way? How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul, with sorrow in my heart every day?  Turn and answer me, O Lord my God! Restore the sparkle to my eyes, or I will die.” And then in verse 6, he reminds himself that God never changes: “But I trust in your unfailing love. I will rejoice because you have rescued me. I will sing to the Lord because he is good to me.”

In our own lives, we at times experience moments of droughts. We pray for healing, a financial breakthrough, a baby, a job opportunity or maybe a spouse. If we do not immediately receive what we asked for, we often also ask, “Lord, how long will you forget about me?”

The truth is that many times we experience the driest, darkest and most difficult moments, just before we experience the breakthrough. In those moments, our faith is truly tested. Will we continue to trust God or will we give up hope? Gert and Mias continued to pray and trust God – and He did answer their prayers. God’s timing is always perfect – it will also be perfect for you. God bless.

Father God, thank you for your faithful love. Please help me to place my faith and trust in you, knowing that your timing is always perfect. I ask this in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

• See pictures of Gert at the Wailing Wall and then with the rain meter with water, as well as the video of Mias at www.benescke.co.za or on the social media page on Facebook, Stories van Hoop.

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