Stores do it, schools do it, hospitals do it. They regularly take inventory. They may also create a list of what they need, but first they notice what resources or supplies they already have.

As we visit the book of Ruth again, we find that as Naomi returned to Bethlehem from Moab, she had a message for those welcoming her back. “‘Don’t call me Naomi,’ she told them. ‘Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty’” (Ruth 1:20-21a). (I find it interesting that the name Naomi means “pleasant” while Mara means “bitter.”)

But had Naomi truly returned to her hometown “empty?” True, her husband and two sons had died. And yes, one daughter-in-law chose to stay in her own homeland. But her other daughter-in-law, Ruth, elected to join Naomi. Not only did Naomi have a daughter-in-law who then worked the fields to provide for them, but Ruth eventually married a Hebrew named Boaz and they would become the great-grandparents of king David.

Wow! God turned Naomi’s “emptiness” into unimaginable blessings.

In the New Testament, we see Jesus taking care of “emptiness” at a wedding feast after His mother explained, “They have no more wine” (John 2:3b). Jesus took stock of what they did have, water and large water jugs. Then, He changed the water into wine.

At the feeding of 5000, the disciples took inventory of what they had. Two fish and five barley rolls. The problem was, they assumed it was not enough.

Let’s not make that same mistake. Instead, let’s inventory what we do have, release it to God, and allow Him to make of it what He wishes. It may be better than we can imagine!