People’s propensity to relocate from famine spots to greener pasture elsewhere is a global pattern, and the practice is as old as Bible days. We recall that it was on account of famine that the family of Elimelech moved from Bethlehem-Judah to Moab. It is a manifestation of the survival instinct in man. However, the Bible recognises another type of famine apart from scarcity of food. This is what is noted in our text as the famine of the word of God. Whereas famine of food and water is a terrible thing, the famine of the word is worse in comparison. As we shall demonstrate shortly, if there is no famine of the word, we can navigate successfully through any austere season.

…if there is no famine of the word, we can navigate successfully through any austere season… Connecting with the word of God will invariably lead to the place of abundance amid scarcity. One of the greatest prayers we can make is to ask God not to afflict us with the famine of the word.

As noted earlier, the famine of bread is not a new thing. Abraham experienced famine; so did Isaac and Jacob. They all survived the famine because of access to the word of God. Another example is that of Elijah. Shortly after he proclaimed to Ahab that there would be no rain in the land, the word of the Lord instructed him to go to Cherith. In that seclusion, the ravens brought him food morning and evening while he drank from the brook. When the brook dried up, the word of the Lord came to him again to go to Zarepath. In his new location, a widow sustained him all through the time of famine. Job 5:22 states that we can laugh at famine. How is that possible? Connecting with the word of God will invariably lead to the place of abundance amid scarcity. One of the greatest prayers we can make is to ask God not to afflict us with the famine of the word.