A Famine of Words

by Audrey Frank @AudreyCFrank

The days are coming,” declares the Sovereign Lord, “when I will send a famine through the land—not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord. People will stagger from sea to sea and wander from north to east, searching for the word of the Lord, but they will not find it” (Amos 8:10-12).

But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.” And he placed his hands on their heads and blessed them before he left (Matthew 19:14-15).

Sami darted down the cobbled street, dodging fruit carts and bread sellers, the words of Jesus still spreading like warm honey in his heart. As he raced back to the edge of town, he daydreamed about the kind Jesus who blessed children. Did he love boys who snuck off without telling their mother? Sami’s friend Najib told him about the nice lady who served cookies and read Jesus’s words each morning to the children. Maybe Amma hadn’t noticed he was gone. 

Scrambling over the wall, he was just in time to see his big brother loading the donkey cart with sour plums. Sauntering as if he’d been there all along, Sami joined in.

No one noticed I was gone! Maybe I can go again!

He could feel Simo’s angry glare before he saw it.

If you go to that infidel’s house again, I’ll tell Baba and he’ll beat you. You’re lucky I didn’t tell on you today. Now take this cart to the market.

There is a famine in the world today. It’s not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord. Even children are staggering, searching.

People deserve to know that the Kingdom of heaven is real, and that Jesus welcomes little children and grown men, every person, to enter. There is strength and courage, comfort and peace to be found in the words of the Lord. Why wouldn’t we offer these words to others? Many of us have them in abundance, and we have the freedom to share them.

Famines create hunger and thirst. The world is hungry. People are thirsty. With our words, we can fight the famine. Let’s take up our pens and give hope to the hungry.

Lord, use my writing to fight the famine. May others hear your words through me. Amen.

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Audrey Frank is an author, speaker, and storyteller. The stories she shares are brave and true. They give voice to those whose words are silenced by shame, the hard things in life that don’t make sense, and the losses that leave us wondering if we will survive. Audrey and her family have spent over twenty years living and working among different cultures and world views, and she has found that God’s story of redemption spans every geography and culture. He is the God of Instead, giving honor instead of shame, gladness instead of mourning, hope instead of despair. Although she has three different degrees in communication and intercultural studies, Audrey’s greatest credential is that she is known and loved by the One who made her.

Audrey is the author of Covered Glory: The Face of Honor and Shame in the Muslim World (Harvest House Publishers), an outpouring of Audrey’s heart to introduce others to the God of Instead. Shame is not unique to the developing world, the plight of the women behind veils, young girls trafficked across borders; shame is lurking in hearts everywhere. Through powerful stories from women around the world, Covered Glory illuminates the power of the Gospel to remove shame, giving honor instead. Available at favorite booksellers: BARNES & NOBLE , BOOKS A MILLION, AMAZON.

Featured Image: Photo by Sincerely Media on Unsplash