“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. They shall wander from sea to sea, And from north to east; They shall run to and fro, seeking the word of the Lord, But shall not find it.” Amos 8:11-12
This portion of Scripture from Amos depicts a situation in which people are desperate to find a way of life that makes sense to them. In verses 13 and 14 that follow it says they will seek out other Gods or other human sources of knowledge. They will seek human wisdom as the source of truth. As it says in Romans chapter one, they will believe the lie. There will be much confusion about who and what to believe and “knowledge will increase”. Mankind has a common trait no matter who they are or where they live. They seem to know that there is a source of wisdom bigger than them that is available to anyone who can “happen” to find it.
Most people believe there is a standard of truth that gives the correct answers to all the important questions of life. No one has or can ever have all the answers about every subject of study. But everyone inwardly desires to know, “Who am I? What is my purpose? And Where am I going?” Therefore, everyone adopts a standard by which they live their lives. I have decided to make the Bible my standard thereby living by the Word of God. To live by the Word I must know the Word. To know the Word I must lay aside any human ideas I may have and allow the Word of God to renew my mind (Romans 12:2). To know the Word of God I must “know the Word of God”. Is this double talk? No, it gives understanding to John 1:1, 14. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” You can’t know the Word without knowing Jesus Christ because He is the Word. Christianity is not believing in a doctrine or theology. It is a relationship with a person, Jesus Christ. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” That is our challenge. Can you live up to it?