6月21日
标 题：灵性的饥荒
经 节：主耶和华说：日子将到，我必命饥荒降在地上。人饥饿非因无饼，干渴非因无水，乃因不听耶和华的话。（阿摩司书八章11节）
神有时候对我们沉默不语。以色列人明目张胆地忽视和拒绝神对他们所说的话，于是，神命令饥荒降在地上，这个饥荒远比食物及水的短缺还严重。他们被剥夺不得听见神生命的话语。
神刚开始沉默的时候，你可能很难注意到祂的沉默。你可能依稀记得过去神对你所说的话，然而，你慢慢会领悟到，自己有一段很长的时间不再听见神的声音。倘若你发觉自己正处于“干旱”，你要立即寻求神，求祂调整你的生活，好让你再次享受与祂相交的喜乐。也许上回你曾不顺服神的命令，因此祂在给你新方向以前，先等待你顺服下来。也许是你生命中有尚未悔改的罪，或是你有破裂的人际关系（以赛亚书一：15；彼得前书三：7）。有可能你在祷告的时候，话说得太多，而祂要你去聆听。神的沉默可以成为一段祂与你相交、大有能力的时光。
神就是神！因为祂是神，当祂开口发言的时候，祂期待你有能听的耳，并且能热切地回应。祂是轻慢不得的（加拉太书六：7）。当我们忽视祂，祂可能会闭口不言，直到我们悔改，并与祂的关系恢复正常。先知亚撒利雅向亚撒王保证：“你们若顺从耶和华，耶和华必与你们同在；你们若寻求祂，就必寻见；你们若离弃祂，祂必离弃你们。”（历代志下十五：2）
Spiritual Famine
“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.” (Amos 8:11)
One way God communicates is through silence. The Israelites blatantly
ignored and rejected God’s word to them, and God responded by sending a famine.
This famine was far more severe than a shortage of food and water. Instead,
they were deprived of His words of life.
God’s silence may be hardly noticeable at first. You may still remember
times when God spoke to you, but you gradually realize you’ve not heard His
voice for a long time. If you realize you are in a “drought,” immediately seek
God and ask Him what adjustments your life requires so you can once again enjoy
fellowship with Him. It may be that you disobeyed His last instructions to you
and that He is waiting on your obedience before giving you a new direction. It
may be that there is unconfessed sin in your life or that you have a damaged
relationship (Isa. 1:15;_1 Pet. 3:7). It is possible that you have done too
much talking in your prayer times and that He wants you to listen. God’s
silences can be powerful times for Him to communicate with you.
God is God! Because He is God, when He speaks He expects a listening ear
and an eager response. He will not be mocked! (Gal. 6:7). When we ignore Him,
He may withhold His voice until we repent and get right with Him. The prophet
Isaiah assured King Asa, “The Lord is with you while you are with Him. If you
seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake
you.”
