Spiritual Famine

Over the last few years, I have been taking note of the number of God-fearing pastors, teachers and theologians that have gone home to be with Jesus.  I listened to their podcasts, read their commentaries, Bible Studies or books.  We have lost the voices of Ray Stedman, RC Sproul, Billy Graham, Warren Wiersbe, Charles Stanley and Timothy Keller and many others.  I miss their insights, perspective and thoughts on the times we are living through right now.  I miss my own Pastor, Ross Reinman, that just went home to be with Jesus this summer.  These men were fervent students of the Word of God while being teachers of the Word of God.  They never seemed to arrive at a spot in their lives when they thought they didn’t need to study the Word of God even if they were pastors with Ph.D.’s 

May we all follow their example.

In the book of Amos, the prophets write about a spiritual famine and present a graphic image of this world void of the words of God being spoken.

“Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord God,“

when I will send hunger over the land, not hunger for bread or a thirst for water, but rather [a hunger] for hearing the words of the Lord. “People shall stagger from sea to sea [to the very ends of the earth] and from the north even to the east; they will roam here and there to seek the word of the Lord [longing for it as essential for life], but they will not find it.  Amos 8:11-12 The Amplified Bible

Warren Wiersbe writes on this passage, “In times of crisis, people turn to the Lord for some word of guidance or encouragement; but for Israel, no word would come. What a tragedy to have plenty of “religion” but no word from the Lord!  That means no light in the darkness, no nourishment for the soul, no direction for making decisions, no protection from the lies of the enemy.”

From the Book of Jeremiah:  Therefore,” declares the Lord, “I am against the prophets who steal from one another words supposedly from me.  Yes,” declares the Lord, “I am against the prophets who wag their own tongues and yet declare, ‘The Lord declares.’  Indeed, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,” declares the Lord. “They tell them and lead my people astray with their reckless lies, yet I did not send or appoint them. They do not benefit these people in the least,” declares the Lord.”  Jeremiah 23:30-32

In the times in which we live right now, one of my greatest concerns is the vacuum left by solid God-fearing Bible teachers that, over decades, have stood in the counsel of the Lord. This passage in Jeremiah 23:18 (NLT) is really a good word for all of us.  “Have any of these prophets been in the LORD’s presence to hear what he is really saying:  Has even one of them cared enough to listen?” 

May we never take for granted our pastors that diligently stand in counsel of the Lord to God’s glory and our benefit.  Their job is fraught with challenges, obstacles and opposition, but woe to us if we lose their voices in a time of uncharted waters and spiritual famine.  The silence is deafening.