I grew up in a small town in Ohio. I had a wonderful childhood. My father always planted a garden. After my parents harvested all the vegetables in the fall, we had a bonfire. It was something I looked forward to all year. We also had a grape arbor in the sideyard. It never produced many grapes, but it was delightful coverage for playing outside in the summer. One summer, there was an abundant harvest. My mother collected all the grapes and decided to can grape jelly and juice.
I remember the kitchen counter lined up with mason jars, large pots to boil everything, and wax to seal the jars. I loved that jelly so much that I didn’t want to return to store-bought jelly. My mother stored jelly jars in the crawl space, which lasted for quite a while. After some time, our abundance ran out, and now we were in a famine for grape jelly!
I have been thinking a lot lately about storing up in anticipation of famine. This idea is less popular today. We tend to spend whatever we make and not save for a rainy day. We don’t have to be judicious in eating snacks because we can always run to the store and get more. It is easy to waste time on social media or TV instead of investing time with friends and family or taking care of life responsibilities. No more time is being made. Once a day is gone, it is gone. The only thing left is what we deposit into someone else’s life. My mother made considerable deposits in my life, as well as my brother and sister, and I rely on them when I am missing her or wish I could call her for her wisdom. She laid up great treasures in her children’s lives for times of famine.
We read of devasting famines in the Bible. God led Abraham to leave his homeland and travel to a land he would give him. As Abraham traveled, he came to the Negev and had to go to Egypt to live for a while because the famine was severe (Genesis 12:10).
Also, in Genesis, we see how God provided for the Israelites through Joseph, who was already in a powerful position within Egypt. If Joseph had not been there, the entire nation might have died because of the famine. God prepared in advance with abundance for the famine that was to come.
The idea that I see running through both these examples is that the provision for the famine often comes through tough times before. Abraham had to leave everything he knew and wander as God directed him. He had no idea how God would provide, but he had the faith to believe God would. Joseph had to suffer mistreatment for years before God took him out of prison and placed him in a high position within Pharoh’s home. I am sure there were many times when both these men looked toward heaven and asked God what was happening. Perhaps they felt abandoned and alone. These are two feelings I can identify with. There are days I sit in my chair, look out my window, and wonder if God hasn’t abandoned me. Nothing seems to be going right in my life. Or that is how it appears to me. I feel like I am in a famine of wisdom.
I am still determining a couple of things in my life. I pray daily for direction, wisdom, and discernment to know what to do. I trust God to provide the answers in his time. However, I still feel like a wave in the ocean being tossed around, directionless, and fearful of making the wrong decision. I feel like I am in a spiritual famine. These days of uncertainty are when I rely on the storehouse of what I know to be true about God. This knowledge is what keeps me going and trusting him. I had to store up this knowledge during good times and some hard times. During the days that the sun was shining brightly and the harvest was plentiful, I had to store up these memories in my heart to carry me through the days when I felt all alone. I had to learn scripture to recite God’s promises, characteristics, and past faithfulness to his people. Remembering God’s goodness brings peace to my troubled soul. I believe it is imperative to store God’s goodness in our hearts and minds. When we rely on this knowledge we won’t give in to the temptations to stop believing, live in fear and anxiety, and anything else the enemy throws at us during the tough times. We can live in peace and with joy when life is hard; we can bring glory and honor to God and spread hope and not the hardships of what we are experiencing in famine.
Our storehouses may be so we can share with our brothers and sisters who are in famine. We may be able to minister to them out of the abundance God has given us, as Joseph was able to provide for his family. We may be able to share a time when God met us in our physical, emotional, or spiritual needs. I firmly believe any abundance we gather from God’s hand should be shared and not just saved for when we are having a tough day. God calls us to love our neighbor; if we see someone in need, we are instructed to meet that need. At the same time, I think it is wise to memorize scripture and write God’s goodness and blessings on our hearts when we feel lost and empty. God never changes; his word promises he is the same yesterday, today, and forever. We can rely on God every day. In a time when we can’t rely on much, we can treasure the goodness and steadfastness of our God and king.
The day came when the abundance of grape jelly ran out. I was so disappointed. My mother stored grape juice and jelly on that hot summer day. Because of her preparation, she made me one more batch of grape jelly. Memories of her pulling out the juice and telling me she could make me more jelly remind me of the importance of storing supplies for the coming famine.
On the days I feel complete joy and peace, I want to store up the goodness of God so that on the days I feel something lacking, I can trust in what I know to be true about God. God is always faithful, loving, and our defender and provider. I want this to be the strength and provision that allows me peace and hope even on the most challenging days.
Is there an area in your life that you feel you are experienceing famine as I do at times? Learn to trust that God will release the storehouses of provision for you in his time. He is a loving God, who relentlessly pursues a relationship with his people. Trust in God’s faithfulness. He will never let you down.
Praise God. He meets all our needs in the good times and the hard times.
Peace in the Desert 