Amos 8 - 9

Read Amos 8 - 9

Verses chosen for meditation: Amos 8: 11, 12 ESV:

11 "Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord God, “when 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.

12 They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east; they shall run to and fro, to seek the word of the Lord, but they shall not find it.

Reflect

Take some time to reflect on the following verses in relation to the Word:

1. Matthew 4: 4

2. Joshua 1: 8

3. Psalm 118: 9, 11

4. Jeremiah 15: 16

5. Luke 1: 38

6. Isaiah 55: 1, 2

7. Isaiah 55: 11

How do you feel about the Word?

How important is the Word to you?

How available is the Word to you?

Relate

The passage shows God's anger towards his people. They had turned a blind eye to the suffering and plight of others for 'more important' things - things that served their interests, including things such as praying, preaching and teaching. 

The book of Amos reminds us that these activities, while unquestionably central to a believer, ring hollow when there is no demonstration of love. This is seen in the way we treat and serve one another. It pulls us back to the starting point each time we fail until we realise how important physical needs are as compared to spiritual needs in God's grand scheme of justice for his people.

But what really strikes me is the part where God says he would send a famine of his Word. To God, this is much worse than sending a famine of food or drought.

I wonder how the people felt about this matter then and how we would feel today if such a similar famine of God's Word happens, when there is a great lack of access to the Word.

For a start, how many days can we really go without 'feasting' on the Word? Do we feel a difference at all in our spiritual constitution if we do?

Let's take a look now at some of the biblical characters and their attitude to the Word:

 

Christ prioritised the Word over bread when he was tempted in the wilderness. This was despite the fact that he had no food for a considerable number of days.

Jeremiah alluded to the food - like quality of the Word. He relished even the idea of eating it.

The Psalmist kept the Word in his heart. He saw it as a form of protection against sin, like what prophylaxis or vaccination does against a disease.

Joshua complied with the prescription for the Word like medication prescribed by a doctor. It comes with a day and night dosing to help him keep fit and resilient.

Mary treated the Word like a written will. It had the final say about her situation. It would later become an inspiration for her song, 'Mary's Song'.

What does it say about us if we can go on and on without the Word, and yet not feel the difference? Would a famine of the Word even have an impact on us?

Whatever it is, the day that the Lord decides to withhold the Word will be unthinkable since the Word was there even before the world was formed. It is through the Word that he accomplishes his desire and achieves his purpose. How little then have we made of the Word!

Last weekend, I attended a retreat at Changi Cove, which was organised by a group of people called Archippians. It all started some ten years ago when the founder of AWE (Archippus Awakening) responded to a call in Colossians 4: 17. The Word, in this instance, works like an alarm clock, sounding a wake-up call to all God's people, awakening and aligning them as the time is near so that they can be ready to fulfil their kingdom assignments.

Being a Word - centric person myself, I see the Word as a pop - up inspiration and answer to life's struggles and situations. From Scripture memory verses to pop - up verses or vice versa, some of these verses have become permanently etched on the deep conscience of my being. One such verse is 1 Corinthians 13: 13. It was at the retreat that I was reminded again of my assignment with regard to the verse, which had taken me on a near 40 - year journey of discovery, and still going on.

Isaiah 55 gives us an idea of how freely available the good things in life are. These are things that we have taken for granted. These are also things that are equally available to all without prejudice.

The Word of God is one such thing that should be equally available to everyone. Therefore, in all our preaching and teaching, let us not exclude those who are not like us. 

As for revival, there should also be a hunger for the Word besides the sweep of the Holy Spirit. For there is no revival if there is no hunger for the Word. Any true revival should come with the stamp of approval from the Lord, the author and perfector of our faith who is the Word incarnate.

This may come as a surprise for some, but the truth is that greater than either food or drink is the Word. This explains the rationale of the order in which God's judgement was pronounced against the people.

For when God withholds his Word, it is as good as him withholding his favour, his goodness, his very being. The world is nothing at all without the Word. We are a lost cause without the Word.

Rest

Lord, we have taken much for granted, especially your Word. Impress upon us this day the power and wonders of your Word, which have moved hearts of faithful men and women through the ages. Therefore, withhold not your precious Word from us. But make us doers of the Word instead and not mere hearers. In so doing, let us be blessed like the one in your Word in the first Psalm.

Naville Chia