Famine in the Land
“Behold, the days come,” saith the Lord, “that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, not a thirst for water, but of a hearing the words of the Lord; And they shall wander from sea to sea and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it.”
Bibles in this local area are hard to find, and when they are available for sale, are not affordable to many whose monthly salary amounts to about US$ 20. Bibles and Christian books in numerous areas are also out of reach for many people, either because of oppressive governments or because of economic constraints. In some other parts of the world, the problem is neither lack of money nor oppressive regimes; rather, the problems include pervasive humanism, encroaching secularism, blatant materialism, and mind-deadening amusement. Since people do not like to retain God in their knowledge. Interest in the word of God wanes. In this environment, people who follow the prince of peace become marginalized and even discriminated against. Even finding the word of God in rich and free countries become difficult as well. There is famine in the land.
In Christadelphia, it would seem that the word of the Lord is in plentiful supply- at least if we interpret this as an easy and plentiful availability of scripture. We have numerous copies of the Bible in our homes, perhaps even Bibles in more than one language. Our bookshelves sag with study helps and Bible story books. Tracts and magazines get dusty and tattered in the side door pockets of our cars. We should distribute them but we often don’t. We have plenty- what should we do to alleviate the famine of the word in the land, and help those who have less? I suggest three things: • Love the Word ~ When something means a lot to us, it becomes obvious to others. People who love sports can sit for hours and watch sports, or they can speak animatedly for a long time about their favourite team or player. When we love the Word of God we will sit for hours feasting on God’s Word, whether by personal study or by hearing it preached. We will speak of God’s word often and it will then be easy for us to speak of His Word to any and all who will listen (Amos 8:11-12). Those who love God’s Word will memorize Psalm 119:97, hiding it in their hearts, making it available to them for a time when a famine of the word of the Lord might come to their land.
• Live the Word ~ If we really love the Word, we will live the Word, we will apply its principles to daily living. With it hidden in our hearts, we will be equipped to avoid sin against God. Our children will observe that our lives are patterned after the principles of God’s Word. Our neighbours will note that we live differently than most others in our community. They will see our good works and glorify our Father who is in heaven. Truly living the Word will spread its influence, even to people who are not reading it themselves. It will lessen the famine in the land.
• Share the Word ~ Many in this part of the world, and in some other countries, do not have their own copies of the Bible. Can we share from our plenty to provide for their lack? Some of the people we meet in day-to-day life know very little about God’s Word. Let us get the dusty tracts out of our vehicles and into the hand of people who will read them. A word of testimony or praise to God might be what the bank teller or the store cashier needs to turn her mind toward God. Some people who will not read the Bible or listen to exhortation or read a tract will observe the lives of God’s people living in faithful service to their Lord. That epistle known and read of all men is often more effective in touching people’s lives than is an eloquent exhortation.
During the days of Elisha, an army from Syria besieged the city of Samaria and caused a famine in that city so severe that to survive, some of the people stooped to cannibalism. A group of lepers left their spot at the city gate deciding to surrender to the enemy and take what would happen to them. Through a miracle of the Lord, the Syrian army had fled and the lepers came upon a camp empty of people but full of food. These lepers started to feast on the food they found- until they came to themselves. “We do not well” they told each other, “this is a day of good tidings and we hold our peace. Now therefore, come, that we may go and tell the king’s household” (2 Kings 7).
Brothers and sisters, we also do not well to hold our peace. Finally, my little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth, since by this we know that we are of the truth and shall assure our heart before him (1 John 3:16-19). So we also share the Word and maintain purity of doctrine and conduct. Let us remember that a guide not only tells the way: he shows the way and what a child sees impresses him much more than what he is told. We guide more by our lives than by our words. Amen.
Bro Gaius Egwu (Ohafia, Nigeria)
