A Drought Of God's Word

We have had a beautiful summer of sunny days.  A few thunderstorms have dropped some water on us, but now, at the end of August, the ground is very dry.

I'm not too worried about the brown patches of grass, but the dogwood tree we planted last year is very dry right now.  It is small and its root system doesn't reach deep enough.  Most of it's leaves are dried to a crisp.  Many have already fallen to the ground.  I am concerned that this tree might not recover.

Consider God's judgment described in Amos.

(Amos 8:11)  “Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord GOD, “That 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.

The Word of God is the source of our life.  It is essential to our being.  Without it we shrivel up and blow away.  When God's Word flows it refreshes us and sustains us.  The Word of God allows us to be fruitful in life for God.

Generally speaking, people like sunny summer weather - they don't like rain.  Unfortunately there is a parallel in people's taste for religious teaching.  People like the upbeat, self esteem stroking, ten easy steps to success kinds of "sunshine."  They are not so enthusiastic about being thoroughly soaked with the knowledge of the Word of God that humbles them, calls them to repentance and requires them to depend completely on God.

No wonder that so much of popular Christianity is so brittle - so shallow - so entertainment dependent.  For the most part it is more like a Christian flavored theme park than it is like biblical Christianity.  It is Christian in name, but in every other way just like the Vanity Fair of our modern culture.

People are dry and thirsty.  They eagerly pounce on every new book, every new church, every new approach, every new fad.  Why?  Because they are so thirsty for the Word of God.

(2 Timothy 4:1–3) I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom:
2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 

 Soak in the Word of God this week!