Famine

“Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord GOD,“That I will send a famine on the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD."  Amos 8:11

Famine is a terrible thing.  Most of us will be familiar with the heart-wrenching pictures of starving children in foreign lands but that is the closest we may ever come to famine.  I think the closest I have seen in my small sphere would have been drought-affected cattle in Australia.  That too is a sad picture.

We are truly blessed to live in a land of abundance, but there may be a different kind of famine in our land.  I believe there is.  A famine because people are not experiencing the life-giving properties of hearing God's word.  In their comfortable lives they often do not realise that they are actually starving for something which is much more life-sustaining than food.  And it may not only be 'unchurched' people who are lacking this food.  Many Christians do not make God's word a regular part of their diet, and in neglecting it they miss out on much more than they realise.

Bible reading does not have to be difficult and dry.  There are so many readable versions available, a recent favourite of mine is The Passion Translation which is still a work in process but available in smaller parts as they are finished.  I was recently reading Psalm 19 in this translation in which King David overflows in praise to God's splendour seen in the universe.  He then goes on to praise God's Word which he says, "is perfect in every way, reviving our souls, leading us to truth, making us wise." (Vs 7).  He goes on.... "His teachings make us joyful and give us light, his commands challenge us to keep close to His heart .... and makes my spirit radiant!" (Vs 8). In verse 10 he continues..."The rarest treasures of life are found in His truth.  I prize God's word like others prize the finest gold.  Nothing brings such sweetness as seeking His living words."  He rounds this section off by saying, "For they warn His servants from following the wicked way, giving a lifetime guarantee: great success to every obedient soul!" (Vs 11).

As you read those inspired words are you challenged to look again for this kind of food that satisfies your innermost being and keeps it filled with eternal truth, hope, peace and joy?  It's worth it!  Not to do so is like having a banquet nearby and not partaking of it.  To neglect our spiritual food leaves our spirit looking like the photo above, parched and cracked, unable to give life-giving food to others.

Jesus, you said that you are the bread of life and the living word.  Help me to remember that you told us that it is by feeding on you only will we be satisfied.  Stir up a hunger in me for your Word.  Amen.

Pollution

It’s not what goes into your body that defiles you; you are defiled by what comes from your heart. Mark 7:15

I recently heard a speaker refer to our lovely country as paradise.  He lives in a large city in Asia where the pollution is shocking.  It's hard for most of us to even imagine the kind of pollution he spoke of but as  I remembeed back to our days in Hong Kong and the pollution that challenged us and the health of many people, I knew exactly what he was talking about.  Sometimes the pollution was very obvious and sometimes it was virtually unseen, but the meters that measured the pollution did not lie; it was there visible or not.

Jesus talked about pollution of another kind, the kind that pollutes our inner lives.  The religious people of his day followed many rules and regulations about foods and washing of vessels, hands etc but when they challenged Jesus about his disciples not adhering the the rules Jesus had more important things to discuss.  He told them that it's not what goes into a person's stomach that pollutes them as much as what resides in their heart or spirit.  James 4:1 speaks of problems among God's people..... What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you? 

If things are not going right in our personal world it's time to look within and see what's going on inside of us. Sometimes God seems far away and that often happens because of inner pollution which grieves the Holy Spirit.  In his grace God is always wanting to bring us into a broader and richer place in our relationship with him,  but before this can happen we need to come into this uncomfortable place which will make us cry out to him.  A place where we become desperate and 'hungry' for his presence again.  

The Lord spoke these words through the prophet Hosea in chapter 2:14-15 which give us a glimpse into his way of process with us.....

...... I will lead her into the desert

and speak tenderly to her there.

 I will return her vineyards to her

and transform the Valley of Trouble 

into a gateway of hope.

She will give herself to me there.....

Often God will allow us to come into a desert place to get our attention.  He doesn't do it so he can 'give us a good talking to', he does it to get our heart.  He wants to speak tenderly to us and bring us into a broader place.  It is then that he transforms what seems to be our 'Valley of Trouble' into a gateway of hope.  It's in the valley of trouble that we see things that have been hidden in our heart that we need to repent of.  Things that have polluted our attitudes and drawn a veil between God and us.  Perhaps there will be things that need to be worked through to bring healing to our minds and hearts.  He knows that we often lose sight of him in the busyness of life but he wants to draw us back to him because it's only in his presence that we find fullness of joy.  Our Heavenly Lover wants our heart.

Father God, draw me back to yourself.  Speak your life-giving words to my heart that it might lean towards you and find joy in your presence again.  Amen.