Day 2: When God Seems Absent from the Ranch

Scripture:
​Judges 6:13
"Then Gideon said to him, 'O my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, 'Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?' But now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.'"

Cowboy Wisdom:
Every cowboy's been caught in a storm that seemed to last forever. The rain's pelting, the wind's howling, and you can't see the sun anywhere. In moments like that, it's easy to think the storm will never pass. But old-timers will tell you: the sun's still shining above those clouds, even when you can't see it.

Gideon was in the middle of a seven-year storm. The Midianites had been raiding for so long that it felt like God had packed up His gear and headed for different territory. "Where are all those miracles our fathers talked about?" Gideon asked. Sound familiar?

Sometimes life hits us so hard and for so long that we start questioning if God's still in the saddle. We look around at our circumstances—the financial struggles, the broken relationships, the unanswered prayers—and wonder if He's abandoned the ranch entirely. But here's the thing: God doesn't abandon His cowboys. Even when we can't see Him working, He's there, planning the next move.

Questions for Reflection:

1. When have you felt like God had "abandoned the ranch" in your life? What circumstances made you question His presence?
2. How do you typically respond when you can't see God's hand at work in your situation?
3. What "miracles of the past" do you need to remember when facing current difficulties?

Prayer Focus:
Father, when life's storms make it hard to see Your hand at work, remind me that You never abandon Your children. Help me remember Your faithfulness in the past when I'm struggling to trust You in the present. Even when I can't see You, help me believe You're still there, still working, still caring for me. Amen.