When I went to Israel, I visited the Western Wall. It is the closest contemporary Jewish people can get to the Temple Mount, where the holy of holies once stood, and it is considered one of the holiest places in Judaism today.
When I visited the wall, I saw many people praying, reciting Scripture, and weeping. Some say they are lamenting the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 AD; others that they are desperately asking the Messiah to come.
I realized that the Jewish people were often reciting prayers from Scripture in Hebrew, the original language of most of the Old Testament. The scriptures so many recite each day point to Jesus—the Messiah who has already come. They have the Lord’s Word, but do they hear His voice?
In Amos 8:1–14, the prophet saw the future destruction of Israel. Things would get so bad that the sun would go down at noon, the land would be dark in the daytime, feasts would turn into mourning, and songs would turn into lament (Amos 8:9–10). There would be grief and sadness throughout the land because of Israel’s sin and unwillingness to listen to the voice of the Lord.
Amos prophesied that there would be a famine in the land of Israel. Unlike many of the previous famines, this famine would not limit their access to bread or water. Instead, because of their consistent sin, the Lord would make a famine of His words among them. They would seek the word of the Lord but would not find it.
I wonder if we have effectively done the same today. Although it is very easy to get a copy of the Bible in the West, for some of us, we consume so much information through digital news, social media, and endless texts and emails that the Word of God gets lost in the mix of voices.
As believers in an information-saturated society, do we train ourselves to hear and respond to God’s Word? Or do we defer to competing voices? Even for those of us who read Scripture regularly, how often do we read the words and fail to hear what the Lord is saying through them?
Although this is sobering to think about, we are not without hope. Exodus 34:6–7 reminds us that our God is compassionate and gracious. We are prone to wander, but God wants us to return to Him. If we let them, these sobering words from Amos can be a powerful wakeup call stirring our hearts to seek the Lord and to delight in His words once more.
I want to be a hearing doer of the word. So often my daily agenda gets the full spotlight in my mind. I know the Lord understands our fickleness and extends grace and mercy where I don’t even know I need it. But the Matthew verse always scares me. It’s so practical but so many times I drive right past the homeless person. Not a second thought. Jesus please help me in this. Reveal what’s your will and how I can join it
Get the book “Women of the Word” by Jen Wilkin. It will teach you exactly how to get the information out of what you read. Game changer.
What a sad image, the people staggering from sea to sea seeking the word of the Lord and not finding it. Not only do we have the privilege of having God’s word at our fingertips we also have the Holy Spirit with us! I don’t want to take either of those things for granted.
Very convicting devotion today! I feel like my head is on a swivel with all the information thrown at me everyday. But I’m also scrolling and watching clips. Put the phone down Deirdre and listen to your God!
6 The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, – Exodus 34:6
The Lord knows how to get to our hearts. We I think on my daily needs I know I would rather have Jesus than bread or water. The source of life is found in Christ. Bread and water are needs that are provided by the Lord. God is with us daily, but if He were to be far from us then life would seem empty. To go without bread and water is better than to go without my Lord!
God help me to be content in all things. I may not have much, but I am rich because I have you!