Empty Stomachs
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“I gave you empty stomachs in every city and lack of bread in every town, yet you have not returned to Me, declares the LORD” (Amos 4:6).
It’s hard to think of an empty stomach or crop failure or pain or a lack of employment as a gift. It’s even harder to accept that it could be a gift from God. Yet, in the book of Amos God lists these unusual “gifts” that He gave in order to motivate the people to seek His face and return to His ways:
“I gave you empty stomachs” (4:6)
“I withheld rain from you” (4:7)
“I struck your gardens and vineyards…with blight and mildew” (4:9)
“I sent plagues among you” (4:10)
“I overthrew some of you” (4:11)
After each of these statements the refrain is repeated, “yet you have not returned to me”.
The people of Israel had strayed from God. They worshipped idols and lived contrary to the good laws God had given them. So God used trouble to get their attention. He knew that when the economy is good, when there is plenty of food and work, people forget Him. It was true in the past and it is true today.
Trouble makes us turn to God and too often prosperity makes us forget Him. Let us heed the warning of this ancient prophet. Let us not be guilty, as the Israelites were, of not returning to God when He brings trouble and hardship into our lives to get our attention.
Holy God, forgive me for the times that I have left Your ways. May the trouble that I experience in my life remind me how much I need You. I want to seek Your face and return to your ways. Amen.
Questions: Do you think trouble can come from God? How has God managed to get your attention?
About the Author Suzanne Benner
Tags: Amos, Chat, crop failure, employment, God, guilty, israel, israelites, Suzanne Benner
11 Responses to “Empty Stomachs”
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I had received an ‘unusual gift’ before I was even born. It only took me 48 years to finally open it. I had been carrying it around with me all that time and just kept nudging it off to the sidelines. The ‘unusual gift’ permeated the motivation to seek God for the first time in my adulthood. I’ve never turned back, never looked back. I’m grateful for this unusual gift, humbled and yet I know that non-believers would think that I had lost all sanity saying that I was glad I received such a gift. Gifts truly do come in all sizes, colors and dimensions.
Thanks Cheryl, for letting us know about this website. It is a good reminder to pray.
Persecution.com will show you where our brothers and sisters in Christ are being persecuted because of their faith. It is a branch of Voice of the Martyers which has kept a pulse on Christian persecution world wide for years. . This is a good place to stay up to date on the political and religious climate of countries. That’s why I was burdened to pray for Pakistan… Didn’t mean to be a “commercial” but we need to know that more people are dying now for their faith in Christ than ever before. Once peaceful countries are becoming hostile to the name of Jesus.
Suzanne this is a great devotional today! I do think that “trouble can come from God” too….I have experienced many heartaches in my 46 years of living so far and soooo many of them have led me closer and closer to GOD….going through some more rough times at this point of my life and am asking HIM to reveal to me what is the purpose of the “Valley of Darkness” I am treading. A heart attack last year got my attention and having chest pains yesterday and today is making me realize once again things need to change in my life and I must aim for the “peace and joy” of the LORD that has been lacking within my soul these past few weeks since taking on a new job.
So true. I talked to God in all situations, but it is during difficult times that I pray, plead, and have others pray for me. So I draw even closer to him.
It is my understanding that people from India are very tolerant of other religions. There are over 1000 forms of hinduism, Moslems, buddhists, jewish people living there since 70Ad and Christians. Have there been incidents by a very small population, particulary in the uneducated villages. Once in awhile. But overall, the Indian culture has it in their culture to be very excepting and respectful of other people’s spiritual beliefs.
I ABSOLUTELY think that “trouble can come from God”…God has gotten my attention in just the last 3 wks via trouble. Let me just say that it took my mother going to a home for the assisted living (none of my siblings and I agreed), and my brother having a heart attack and 100% blockage in one of his heart valves, (in ICU for 2 days) ~ for me to see what God wanted me to see in all of it. God pointed me to exactly what I had done wrong in it, and hopefully, and prayerfully, the rest of my family got God’s message as well. Forgivness is not always apparent…, but God makes it very real, and He lays it all down right in front of us. PTL
I have been burdened about the people of Pakistan. I read yesterday in the news that the Taliban is going to begin killing the relief workers from other countries who are bringing aid to the people. I’ve been praying that God would “stay the hand of these wicked people”. Then I read this devotional. Our society doesn’t like to think that God would try to get the attention of people by allowing tragedy. I know that as parents we have to allow God to work in our loved ones lives to get their attention…and not try to always rescue them. I understand this; but it is hard for this world to accept and how easily could I accept this if it was happening personally to me. I know that India is hostile toward their Christian believers. God will use whatever it takes to get a country’s attention. I’m not trying to make any judgements; but the Lord heard my heart this morning and now I believe that He is speaking to me through this devotional to show me that His ways are not mine.
At one point in my life, my stomach was empty too and the hunger pains were tremendous. Seemed like all that I tried to do- with all my might- went wrong and trouble was on every front. Then I read John 15:5- “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, bears much fruit. For without Me, you can do nothing” (NKJV). Well, I gave Him a try and I abided in Him daily. Now, my life has turned around in a way beyond what I ever imagined. The fruit of the Spirit has certainly filled my stomach. Thank you Suzanne for such an awesome devotional this morning.
WOW does this reading hit HOME. I have been saved for 22 years and this has been my experience, much to my shame, too many times over. In fact, the Lord has just seen me through a MIGHTY hard time and brought me into a spacious land. Now that there has been “rest on every side” I can feel myself resting a little TOO much. There’s nothing like adversity to make us cling to our God.
I have been sensing, for sure, the Holy Spririt calling me to return to a place of consecration.
Help us all oh Lord to live and to walk in Your ways!
Yes, so true, when things are going well, people think they don’t need God. Both my parents lived through WW II and told me that prior to the war in Europe, church attendance was minimal for most people. During the war,however, the churches were full! It seems that the trials brought people to their knees. If only we could help others understand that we need God in ALL circumstances!
As a child in the Father’s care, it is by His permission that “trouble” comes to me …. only He can see the hopeful outcome of allowing the troubles in this world, which are not of His making, to cause me to turn my eyes again upon Him should my eyes/heart be not upon (devoted/trusting) Him – here, there. It is seemingly mostly because of my root “human” nature, that by His watchful “discipline” I am guided to/in His Way. I praise Him for such Love …. all Love’s excelling !