“The days are coming,” declares the Sovereign LORD, “when I will send a famine through the land—not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the LORD. Men will stagger from sea to sea and wander from north to east,searching for the word of the LORD, but they will not find it. ” Amos 8:11-12
When I read the opening line of this verse from God’s word I want to repeat the first four words over and over again. “The days are coming, the days are coming, the days are coming!” Back then they were words of warning and they still are as we approach the time in which Amos was talking about. Most people don’t appreciate a good famine because they’ve never had to deal with totally doing without anything. Just look around we are the first one to grumble if dinner is late an hour or if we have to skip one meal out of hundreds of meals.
Indeed only a certain number of people can tell you really what its like to experience such a thing. However, the famine Amos is warning us about is one that will affect everyone not just a selected few. His warning isn’t about the fact that the donut we usually like to eat with our coffee or the second helping we usually add to our meal won’t be there. He’s telling us about a more serious famine one that affects our spiritual well being for all eternity not just for a day or two.
Sadly enough a lot of people don’t realize what it would be like to do without such a thing. They feel they can live just fine without it. The fewer they hear those words like “Thou shall not kill, steal, or take someone else’s spouse or belongings,” the better. The less rules off the books to follow the better towards their freedom and fun.
Unfortunately the famine would not include just the commands to be obeyed and the guidance for living right it would include the promises of God too. Things like, “I will never leave you nor forsake you. I will be with you always. You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you, I have gone to prepare a place for you and I’ll return you unto myself,” and so much more.
The thought of reaching a time when there will be a famine of hearing the words of the Lord to me is a devastating thought. Sadly enough it’s a famine we have created ourselves that begins with little moments and grows into something bigger. Situations such as setting aside our Bible to read the newspaper, declaring it bad to read in school replacing it textbooks full of tinted half truths of history. Staying home from church to listen to what’s playing on TV instead of what God has to say through His word.
A few months ago our church did something for the very first time and it really came out with great results. Our pastor decided we needed to read the Bible through front to back without stopping. People signed up for all sorts of hours of the day and night to participate in this adventure. For those of us who knew this was going on it felt good to stop and pause and know that the Word of God at that very moment was being read some where. It didn’t matter what chapter or verse of the Bible they were on at the present time, it was just a comfort to know it was being read out loud.
As Amos warns us there will be a time when people will be scrambling to have that comfort or luxury back in their lives but they won’t find it. Instead of panning for gold from east to west they will be looking to hear the word of God only to discover that its gone, never to be found.
Oh people, this is one lie of Satan’s that we cannot fall for and that is the lie that “we don’t need the word of God” because we do. It’s the spiritual food needed to pack for our journey to Heaven. Plant it in your hearts, carry it in your minds, live by in your lives for the time is coming, the time is coming.
© 2010 Karen J. Gillett @ Pencil Marks and Recipes Publishing
When I read the opening line of this verse from God’s word I want to repeat the first four words over and over again. “The days are coming, the days are coming, the days are coming!” Back then they were words of warning and they still are as we approach the time in which Amos was talking about. Most people don’t appreciate a good famine because they’ve never had to deal with totally doing without anything. Just look around we are the first one to grumble if dinner is late an hour or if we have to skip one meal out of hundreds of meals.
Indeed only a certain number of people can tell you really what its like to experience such a thing. However, the famine Amos is warning us about is one that will affect everyone not just a selected few. His warning isn’t about the fact that the donut we usually like to eat with our coffee or the second helping we usually add to our meal won’t be there. He’s telling us about a more serious famine one that affects our spiritual well being for all eternity not just for a day or two.
Sadly enough a lot of people don’t realize what it would be like to do without such a thing. They feel they can live just fine without it. The fewer they hear those words like “Thou shall not kill, steal, or take someone else’s spouse or belongings,” the better. The less rules off the books to follow the better towards their freedom and fun.
Unfortunately the famine would not include just the commands to be obeyed and the guidance for living right it would include the promises of God too. Things like, “I will never leave you nor forsake you. I will be with you always. You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you, I have gone to prepare a place for you and I’ll return you unto myself,” and so much more.
The thought of reaching a time when there will be a famine of hearing the words of the Lord to me is a devastating thought. Sadly enough it’s a famine we have created ourselves that begins with little moments and grows into something bigger. Situations such as setting aside our Bible to read the newspaper, declaring it bad to read in school replacing it textbooks full of tinted half truths of history. Staying home from church to listen to what’s playing on TV instead of what God has to say through His word.
A few months ago our church did something for the very first time and it really came out with great results. Our pastor decided we needed to read the Bible through front to back without stopping. People signed up for all sorts of hours of the day and night to participate in this adventure. For those of us who knew this was going on it felt good to stop and pause and know that the Word of God at that very moment was being read some where. It didn’t matter what chapter or verse of the Bible they were on at the present time, it was just a comfort to know it was being read out loud.
As Amos warns us there will be a time when people will be scrambling to have that comfort or luxury back in their lives but they won’t find it. Instead of panning for gold from east to west they will be looking to hear the word of God only to discover that its gone, never to be found.
Oh people, this is one lie of Satan’s that we cannot fall for and that is the lie that “we don’t need the word of God” because we do. It’s the spiritual food needed to pack for our journey to Heaven. Plant it in your hearts, carry it in your minds, live by in your lives for the time is coming, the time is coming.
© 2010 Karen J. Gillett @ Pencil Marks and Recipes Publishing
6 comments:
I am so excited to hear about your church's mission to read the whole Bible straight through! More and more, I am wanting this for my church as well! I am interested in going to a church that truly teaches Scripture, from beginning to end, and not just teach on "culturally relevant topics."
Thanks for participating in IOW today!
"Plant it in your hearts, carry it in your minds, live by in your lives for the time is coming, the time is coming."
AMEN! How devastating it would be to not hear the promises of God. We need to have his word hidden in the depths of our hearts and minds.
Thank you for joining the conversation today. Hope your Bible Study and your classes went well.
What a cool idea to read the whole bible outloud as a group...that is awesome!
Karen, great post.
"Oh people, this is one lie of Satan’s that we cannot fall for and that is the lie that “we don’t need the word of God” because we do. It’s the spiritual food needed to pack for our journey to Heaven. Plant it in your hearts, carry it in your minds, live by in your lives for the time is coming, the time is coming."
We so need to read and meditate on the Word of God. There are so many distractions that can entice us away. It is the light for our lives.
Blessings,
Debbie
I KNOW I cannot live without the Word. It is essential to keep me going when I lose my own motivation. God is good and His Word is fantastic.
I am so glad to hear that your church took the time to read the entire Word! How powerful! I will suggest that to members of our church too. We really do take the Word for granted too much; these verses have really opened my eyes to that.
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