[Friday's Devotional] - Sweet Service

"How sweet are your words to my taste,
sweeter than honey to my mouth!"
Psalm 119: 103 [ESV]

 

Psalm 119 is the longest chapter found in Scripture and is known for its teaching on God’s law.  It is not simply about what to do and not do, but about how God’s law leads us into a deeper devotion with him than the things of this world ever could.

This desire does not come from good works or going to church, but from the one and only giver of sweet things,"Open my eyes so I can see what you show me of your miracle-wonders." Psalm 119:18 [The Message]

 

On the theme of miracles and wonders, my husband and I went to see Robby Dawkins again last Saturday, a gutsy man of God who works mainly with gangs, drug barons and prostitutes.  His violent suburb in Chicago has been transformed by miraculous healings: cripples walk, the blind see and addicts are released from addictions bringing transformed lives as they encounter the power and love of the living God.  Even the police acknowledge all that has happened and work with him to serve the community: https://powerandlove.org/team/robby-dawkins/

 

I know many will doubt this is real, but for those who have witnessed such healings it leaves no doubt, and I know they happen worldwide.  I do not know why some people are healed and others are not, I wish I did, but I do know that last Saturday the pain that Chris had experienced in his shoulder for the last 36 years was healed.

 

In Monday’s devotional I made reference to the picture of the honeycomb and worker bee, at each stage of a honey bee's life it has a different job in order to serve the hive.  At times, our life can seem far from sweet and fly by in never-ending buzz-y-ness (pun intended) however, there are times of sweet reward when the honey is ready for harvest and it is time to move on to the next season.

 

I will leave the final words this week to Albert Schweitzer, a French philosopher, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1953:

 

"I don't know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who will have sought and found how to serve."

Dawn Milward

 

[Thursday's Devotional] - Riddled with Honey

The most famous and talked about riddle from the bible is Samson's honey and lion riddle. Samson plans to ask a Philistine woman to marry him.  On the way to ask her he is attacked by a lion that he promptly rips apart with the power of God, but keeps this a secret.  After he receives the woman's parents' approval they arrange the marriage.  On his way to the wedding, he sees that bees have begun to live in the lion and make honey.  Samson marries the Philistine woman and at his wedding he tells his groomsman a riddle.  If they can answer it correctly he will give them thirty pieces of fine linen and garments. The riddle was:

 

"Out of the eater, something to eat;
Out of the strong, something sweet." Judges 14:14 [NIV]

 

The groomsman can't solve it so they become angry and tell Samson's wife that if she doesn’t discover the answer to the riddle they will burn her house and her father's. She asks Samson for the answer and then tells the groomsmen, who tell Samson: What is sweeter than honey? And what is stronger than a lion?

If right now you are convinced that nothing good can ever come from a difficult situation, Samson’s riddle is a beacon of hope.  Out of the circumstance, situation, or event that tries (or tried) to "eat you alive" God creates a uniquely sweet and refreshing opportunity to renew strength and thus renew hope.

It may take some time but the day will come when one may, in memory if not physically, return to the scene of struggle and conflict and eat the honey from "the beast" that sought to destroy.

 

Dawn Milward

[Wednesday's Devotional] - As Sweet as Honey

 "Eat honey, dear child—it’s good for you —
and delicacies that melt in your mouth." 
Proverbs 24:13  [ESV]

 

The proverb above is the first half of a metaphorical comparison with wisdom. Here is the second half:

 

“Likewise knowledge,
    and wisdom for your soul—
Get that and your future’s secured,
    your hope is on solid rock."         
Proverbs 24:13  [ESV]

 

Gaining wisdom is energising and delightful, and then it leads to rewarding prosperity.  Honey was a common food in Israel during Solomon’s reign, who was the author of this passage. Eaten in right amounts, it was invigorating and delicious.   

 

Have you experienced the sweet exhilaration and pleasure of honey? Or much rather, do you know the reviving delight of wisdom? (I have my moments, but they are few and far between!) Once you have tasted honey, other artificial sweeteners are easily detected as a poor substitute. Once you learn God’s wisdom, even the world’s best ideas are bland or bitter to your heart and mind, for they are far inferior by comparison.  Many of us rely on the things of the world to bring satisfaction to our lives, but as C S Lewis, famous for his Narnia books, put it:

 

"We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased."

 

Dawn Milward

[Tuesday's Devotional] - Honey from a Rock

“But I will feed you with the finest of wheat, and with honey from a rock I would satisfy you.” – Psalm 81:16 [NIV]

 

When I think of a rock I think of a hard object, people often talk about being “between a rock and a hard place.”  Rocks can be dangerous, kids throw them at buildings and shatter glass or cars and create dents.  Rocks can be dividing – walls made of brick and stone keeping others out.  But rocks can also be positive, some people collect rocks, I have fond thoughts of a dear friend, now home with the Rock of Ages, who loved collecting his rocks. Some rocks tell a story of times long past – they are fossils.  Some rocks are used to build things.  We talk of something being “rock solid” when we mean something is good or strong and of course, as the lovely David Essex sang, we can "Rock On!"

 

God promises to provide for us not just with a mediocre amount, but with the finest wheat He has.  He says He can bring honey from a rock – mirroring the truth of Him bringing water to the parched Israelites from a rock in the desert. We have all tasted honey, it’s sweet and provides healing for the common cold and is included in many throat lozenges.  God is saying that from the difficult times in our lives He is making something sweet.  When we go through trials it may feel like nothing good will ever come out of it.  It may feel like the rock overpowers our lives, but God is using the rocks in our lives to not just produce honey for us, but for many others as well. 

 

When life seems hopeless and desperate cling to Him and His promises.

“In seasons of distress and grief my soul has often found relief.  And oft escaped the Tempter’s snare, by Thy return sweet hour of prayer.” (Sweet Hour of Prayer, William Walford, 1845)

 

If you have a couple of minutes to spare you might enjoy this wonderful rockin’ tune from the Five Blind Boys of Alabama  - Honey in the Rock (opens YouTube video).

 

 

Dawn Milward

[Monday's Devotional] - Honeycomb

If you’re a similar age to me you will remember the Honey Monster from the 1976 cereal advert with his favourite phrase “Tell ‘em about the honey mummy.” This week I’m hoping my devotionals will be sweet, as they are all honey-based. The inspiration came from a picture I saw in my mind’s eye recently, when visiting my old church in Rugby and going up for prayer.  Some non-believers may find it odd that people claim to hear from God, however in my experience, I know he speaks to us all in many ways, if we just learn to tune in.

 

The picture I had was of a honeycomb, I saw those complex hexagonal cells that make up the comb and a worker bee frantically going about her duties. I say ‘her’ duties, as I have since discovered that all worker bees are female. I will come back to the relevance of this picture at the end of the week.

 

Then he said to me, "Son of man, eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it." So I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth.
Ezekiel 3:3 [NIV] 

 

When we fully take in the word of God from scripture we taste the sweetness of His wisdom. As we fully take in the sweetness of His word, He directly speaks to our heart and our life is enriched beyond measure.  How foolish we can be when we are spiritually starving and do not feast upon His words to us (I know I am guilty of that.)  The loving words of God supply us with the energy and power to go about doing His will throughout our life and discovering our destiny.  Many souls ache for the kindly outpouring of His love which comes to us from the nourishment of His scripture and the truth of His words as they are written upon our heart.  If we would just open our heart to Him, we will feel the love, power, and energy of God every time we open His Holy word, it’s still the best-selling book every year!

 

  

Dawn Milward