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Themes: God's Unfailing Promises S.H. Our Bible story was about a time of famine when there was no food to eat. It was brought on by a drought or lack of water which was due to the sins of the people. Tragically, this was not the last drought and famine to occur. In our own times, famines have been known to devastate entire countries.
In 1984, a drought and famine hit the area known as the sub-Sahara in Africa. Millions of Africans went to relief camps throughout the continent to try to find food. In Ethiopia, Mali, Chad and other countries, thousands if not millions of people died because of hunger.
People had been living in this area and making a living by farming grain. They depended upon the summer rains to give them the water they needed in this very dry area. Medical advances enabled many babies to live and that increased the population. With more people to feed, farmers had to clear more land of trees to try to grow more crops.
The combination of land being used every year to grow crops, the lack of trees, and then the lack of rain, all contributed to the disaster which then occured.
When the drought came, rivers and lakes dried up. The animals began dying. The fields became dry and windstorms would blow away the topsoil just as it did in the dust bowl in the USA in the 1930's.
Around the world, efforts were made to raise money to feed the starving in Africa. Rock concerts in England and the USA were held to help feed people. The money donated and raised by these efforts was used to buy food and medicine which was shipped to Africa.
But unfortunately, many times the food and medicine never reached the people who needed it. The promises of food from America were sincere, but did not always happen. Corrupt officials and armies would take the food for themselves. Other countries promised the people food; but they could not guarantee it. By the time the drought and famine ended, two million people had died.
In our Bible story, God promised Elijah food and God kept His promise. Men can promise, but only God can guarantee His promises.
The Bible, God's Word, is full of His promises and guarantees. His Word has never failed. It is faithful and true (1 Tim 1:15). In it He has promised to satisfy every sinner who comes to Him (John 6:35). He has promised to forgive those who trust in the value of the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ (1 John 1:7). He has promised to never cast out the soul that trusts in His Son (John 6:37).
In a world where many do not tell the truth and where no one can guarantee his promises, it is wonderful that there is one book which is true - the Bible, and a God who can guarantee what He promises.
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Shelly McKenna
