God is the God of famines. That might sound odd in this day of American abundance and prosperity preaching, but any real look at Scripture reveals this reality. Why?
Famines are very helpful in the lives of God’s servants. They keep us humble. They drive us to Him. They test our faith. They mature our walk. They bless our lives.
Consider your own life for a moment. Look back. How much have you learned about life from your abundance? What about from those times when the darkest midnights ravaged your soul? All that the LORD brings into the lives of those who love Him are for our good and His glory – even famine.
Read the text above and consider the story of Isaac. Not unlike his father, Abraham, Isaac found himself in the midst of a very grievous famine, a famine that would force him from the familiar to a land he wouldn’t choose. There Isaac, like his father, would fall into doubts, fears, and lack of trust in the God whose blessing had been promised. He would willingly “sacrifice the future on the altar of the present” if that were the required cost of his safety. Nevertheless, God protected him, not because Isaac was faithful, but because God was faithful. Sins that could have ravaged his existence and future were thwarted by a God whose “mercies are new every morning”, whose “faithfulness is great” (Lamentations 3:23). It was there in the land of Gerar that God would bless Isaac despite his weakness. It was there that Isaac would be developed into a man of faith. It was there that God would show Himself strong on the behalf of His chosen.
Friend, God hasn’t changed. His mercies are still new every morning because we need mercy every day. His faithfulness will always be great because ours isn’t. He will allow the famine to mature His people, and He will never leave us nor forsake us in the midst of the grievous trials. That is who He is.
Maybe you find yourself in time of great doubt and famine. Maybe you are wondering about the prospects of the days ahead. There is no crystal ball to tell you what will be, but there is a Book to tell you that God will be with you in the struggle. God doesn’t remove His own from the famines of life, but He will bless us in their midst. Read the text a second time. Meditate.
By Dan Zimmerle
