A FAMINE IN THE LAND

"Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of 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." (Amos 8:11-12)

Amos is one of my favorite prophets.  He knew he had limited ability but was not afraid to proclaim God's word with courage and tenacity.

In Hugo McCord's book, Fifty Years Of Lectures, he relates a story about a man, Howard Rutledge,  who was a prisoner of war and was quoted as saying, "My need for spiritual food far outweighed my need for a steak." While in this POW camp, he was fed enough food to keep him alive, but began to realize a need that was not being satisfied: his need for God's word.

We are an extremely fortunate group of people in this country.  If we want a Bible we can go out and purchase one for a minimal amount of money. However, there are many nations in the world where Judeo-Christian writings are  forbidden or frowned upon.  These governments may also limit the ability to worship freely as we do.  There are many men and women who risk their lives on a daily basis just to read God's Holy Word.

At this time of year we are focusing on being thankful for our many blessings.  May we truly be thankful that we have God's word to offer comfort, strength and hope in these turbulent times.

Paul