Honey from the Rock

Honey is an interesting subject.  A natural food, bees gather nectar from flowers and make sweet honey encased in a wax honeycomb.  Someday I would love to take up beekeeping as a hobby!  If packaged properly in the right conditions, pure honey has an incredibly long shelf life.  Proverbs 24:13-14 reads, "My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste: ¹⁴ So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul: when thou hast found it, then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation shall not be cut off."  Honey is good, and it is good for you.  It is a natural source of energy and some even have dubbed it "The Perfect Food."  Whether it is perfect or not I do not know, but one point on which all people agree is that good honey is sweet!

God promised to bring His people out of the land of bondage in Egypt and into the Promised Land, a land "flowing with milk and honey."  It was a land of fatness and sweetness.  It was a place of prosperity, freedom, and victory.  In a similar way, Jesus Christ through the Gospel brings sinners from death to life by grace through faith.  It is a life of freedom, victory, and sweetness.  Just because the Israelites were brought into Canaan, it did not mean the battles were over.  In fact, there were many new battles to be fought with nations long entrenched in the land.  When we are born again and become Christians through faith in Jesus, we have battles to fight against the habits and desires of our flesh, the sway of this world, and Satan.  It is only through God that we can be victorious in these battles.

Sometimes we can be so caught up in fighting, putting on the whole armour of God, resisting the devil, and being sober and vigilant, that we forget that the life of a Christian is not limited to the field of battle.  Perhaps there are some soldiers who can fight day and night for years without respite, but they are as elusive in reality as Bigfoot or the Loch Ness monster.  Even Jesus was ministered to by angels after 40 days of fasting and satanic assault.  God made our bodies to need sleep, and Jesus knows that we need rest for our souls.  Let us never remove our spiritual armour, continuing to walk in the Spirit.  Let us keep the Sword of the Spirit - God's Word - at the ready.  But let us not neglect our need for nourishment and physical and spiritual vitality which comes from resting in Christ and meditating on His Word.  If we will fight on effectively, times of rest and recovery are vital.

This Sunday at Calvary Chapel Sydney we spoke about the time in 1 Samuel 14 when God used Jonathan and his armour bearer to smite a Philistine garrison.  After the battle, Jonathan and some of the victorious men ventured into a forest where they saw honey dripping.  Because King Saul had placed a curse on anyone who ate before evening, no one ate any of that honey.  They were faint and famished but they feared the consequence should they indulge in just a taste of the sweet honey which dripped to the ground.  Jonathan, having been attacking the Philistines all day, was not aware of the oath of the king.  He gathered up a bit of honeycomb with the rod in his hand and tasted it.  His eyes instantly lit up and he felt refreshed.  How good that honey tasted!

God had promised His people a land flowing with milk and honey, yet the people were afraid to eat of the honey because of their king's foolish oath.  There is a class of Christian today who heavily emphasises the fact we are in a spiritual battle and must be able to endure hardness as a good soldier of Christ.  Everything is a battle, everything is a bitter fight, and they feel everyone is against them.  Weary and tired, even after being concussed from a thrown lower millstone which glanced off their head, they try to grimly continue on alone.  Monks of old would buffet their bodies with whipping and fasting, thinking their cold cells and hard beds were the means of gaining spiritual vitality.  Please do not misunderstand:  there is a place for denying the flesh through fasting.  It is certainly true we are in the midst of a spiritual battle of epic proportions:  open war is upon us!  But let us not think that a miserable life is the most holy one.  There will always be a fight, even as there will always be needs in the world.  All Christians can be weary and wounded.  In Christ we are to labour with our hands faithfully, but there is sweetness and rest in our Saviour.

Honey is an interesting study in scripture.  After God freed His people from slavery in Egypt, He caused bread to fall from heaven called "manna."  Exodus 16:31 says the taste of manna was like wafers made with honey.  Jesus later compared Himself to manna:  the Israelites ate the food of heaven and prolonged their lives on earth, and He was the "Living Bread" come down from heaven (John 6:30-37).  All who partake of Christ through faith will live forever!  There is sweetness in Christ.  Deuteronomy 32:4 says of God, "He is the Rock, His work is perfect; for all His ways are justice, a God of truth and without injustice; righteous and upright is He."  And what do God's people draw from this Rock?  Deuteronomy 32:13 says, "He made him ride in the heights of the earth, that he might eat the produce of the fields; He made him draw honey from the rock, and oil from the flinty rock..."  From Christ, the Rock of our Salvation, flows Living Water to satisfy our thirst, honey to give us energy and enlighten our eyes, and oil to keep our lamp shining bright.  Our God has indeed provided everything for life and godliness - even sweetness.

God could have provided us a lifetime of spiritual gruel, grey and flavourless.  Instead He has provided great sweetness through Christ and the Word.  Ezekiel 3:3 tells of when the prophet was told to eat the scroll which contained God's words:  "And He said to me, "Son of man, feed your belly, and fill your stomach with this scroll that I give you." So I ate, and it was in my mouth like honey in sweetness."  What sweetness we have in God's promises towards us!  Is your life one of bitterness of sweetness?  When the children of Israel came to the waters of Marah, they could not drink of those waters because they were bitter.  They complained with the LORD:  three days without drinkable water was just too much!  Exodus 15:25 reads, "So he cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a tree. When he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet..."  Jesus drank the bitter cup of God's wrath when He was crucified on the tree on Calvary so we can partake of His sweetness.  Instead of bitter herbs and wormwood we can draw sweet honey from the Rock.  Have you tasted and seen that the LORD is good?  Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!

Divine Qualifications of Suffering

Although we all suffer from various ailments and infirmities, our service unto the LORD need not be hindered.  The work that God has called us to is a spiritual one, and the apparent weaknesses of the vessel is a boon rather than a disqualification!  Sometimes we think if we were stronger, healthier, or without discomfort we would be much more valuable for the kingdom of God.  You may take that up with Him if you like, but I believe God has us right where He wants us!

In his book Lectures to My Students in pages 156-157, C.H. Spurgeon wrote from a similar perspective:

These infirmities may be no detriment to a man's career of special usefulness; they may even have been imposed upon him by divine wisdom as necessary qualifications for his peculiar course of service.  Some plants owe their medicinal qualities to the marsh in which they grow; others to the shades in which alone they flourish.  There are precious fruits put forth by the moon as well as by the sun.  Boats need ballast as well as sail; a drag on the carriage-wheel is no hindrance when the road runs downhill.  Pain has probably in some cases developed genius; hunting out the soul which otherwise might have slept like a lion in its den.  Had it not been for the broken wing, some might have lost themselves in the clouds, some even of those choice doves who now bear the olive-branch in their mouths and show the way to the ark.

When we are hurting physically or downcast in soul, the temptation is to keep ourselves in focus rather than God.  Our pain and disappointment blinds our eyes from the view of our Messiah and Saviour, Jesus Christ.  We long for the leeks and onions of Egypt when God is currently providing us with manna from heaven, water from the rock, and quail on the breeze.  We neglect the use of what we have because of our perceived lack.  If we say we believe scripture, we must also confess we lack no good thing.  Psalm 34:8-10 reads, "Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him! ⁹ Oh, fear the LORD, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him. ¹⁰ The young lions lack and suffer hunger; but those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing."

If we lack, it is because we have not met the conditions of God's gracious promise:  "...those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing."  Are you faithful to seek the LORD even in the midst of misery?  May God help us to do so no matter how we feel.  Blessed is the man who relentlessly trusts in God!

Bludger or Servant?

"The way of the lazy man is like a hedge of thorns, but the way of the upright is a highway."

Proverbs 15:19

A couple nights ago a segment aired on Channel 9 called the "Dole Bludger Challenge."  According to an article written in 2010, an alarming number of Australians are "on the dole," basically receiving a welfare check or unemployment benefits.  A "bludger" is someone who can physically work but is simply too lazy to do so.  While there are people who have genuine needs and are the victims of redundancy or downsizing, there seem to be many who would rather be a bludger than work for their living.  This "bludger" tendency can be seen throughout all cultures and people of the world.

King Solomon compares the way of a lazy man to a hedge of thorns.  He has an excuse to avoid doing anything, seeing potential harm and difficulty in every movement.  A lazy man will not get out of bed because it is too cold.  He gives up buying cigarettes because of the expense but does not quit smoking, bumming off his friends and co-workers.  He cannot afford petrol, but he can afford Foxtel and beer!  If he cannot be the boss he will not work at all because it would be a waste of his genius.  It is amazing how hard some people will work to avoid working.  Instead of seeing opportunities all around him, a lazy man sees any effort as a dangerous, unnecessary intrusion upon his life.

Paul laid out a principle which still rings true today in 2 Thessalonians 3:10:  "For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: if anyone will not work, neither shall he eat."  God instilled this precept with His people when He led them out of Egypt and they were required to rise every day and gather their daily portion of manna.  If they woke up late after the sun grew hot, the manna would melt.  The only day when they were able to gather a double portion was the day before the Sabbath.  There will be no "spiritual dole bludgers" that inherit the kingdom of God.  We are all called to serve the LORD faithfully, following Christ's example as servant of all in obedience to His Father's will.  God has given to each of His children talents to use for the increase of His kingdom.  If we use our talents wisely and faithfully we will be greatly rewarded with heavenly rewards and responsibilities.  But if we are self-serving, bury our talents in the ground, wasting our life and resources, we are not servants of God at all.  Those in this life who used the grace and mercy of God to cloak their sloth and selfishness will be cast into outer darkness, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 25:24-30).

The way we order our lives now counts for eternity.  Unlike the lazy man whose way is as a impenetrable hedge of thorns, the "way of the upright is a highway."  We can choose to do things the world's way or God's way.  Through His Word, God gives us clear direction for living.  We are told how we can live a life which is fully pleasing unto God, for He has given Christians all things necessary for life and godliness.  Our lives can be free from the impediments of sin through the deliverance and cleansing blood of Jesus Christ by grace through faith.  The chains of sinful addiction are broken and the thorns of doubt and unbelief have been cleared away.  Following Jesus is not an easy path, but it is one already trail-blazed and cleared by our Saviour, Jesus Christ.  Instead of faltering we can press forward with confidence in our God and His promises.  May our lives echo the words of Christ when He said in John 9:4-5, "I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. ⁵ As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."  Jesus is the Light, and may He shine brightly through us!

Family Update!

It's been awhile since I have provided a family update, so I figure now is a great time!  Life seems to charge forward at an incredible pace, and I am amazed we are already in July!  At times I step back and simply appreciate the almost bizarre life we are living:  a family from Southern California transplanted in Sydney, Australia.  Only a few years ago I thought a "pitch" was a throw, "State of Origin" was perhaps a place I never heard of, and a bonnet was something women wore on their heads to protect them from sun.  Little did I know that God would open a door for ministry and relocate us to the other side of the world.  I have been having the time of my life.

The family is doing well.  I still walk the boys to the bus stop in the mornings for school (about 1.8 kilometers) and they walk themselves home.  It seems like Zed and Abel have both been growing out of their shoes, blazers, and pants practically as fast as we replace them!  They attend the same private school, Norwest Christian College located in Riverstone (pronounced "Riverstn").  Zed has 10 subjects, and Abel has 6.  Both have brought home a good report card for the end of second term and are now enjoying three weeks of holidays.  Laura put together a daily schedule for them to keep up with their reading, music, exercise, and typing.  I am certainly not missing our daily trek to the bus stop, as it is quite chilly and breezy at 7:20am along Windsor road!  Laura just booked a trip to visit SoCal with the boys in September, so that is another thing to look forward to.

As far as church, we are blessed and thankful with the great things God is doing.  God is continuing to supply our financial needs through our church family in Australia and from folks in the States.  We are excited about some of the events coming up at church.  We have Men's and Women's ministry events planned for the next two Saturdays.  The deposit has just been paid for a weekend Women's retreat at the end of October hosted at Camp Kedron.  Also, a small team from our church and I have just purchased airline tickets to serve in Cambodia for a 10-day mission trip starting towards the end of December.  Looks like I will have to make sure I have been vaccinated for malaria!  I have also recently been notified that there is an "Envision Australia Conference" being planned for Manly (a suburb of Sydney in the northern beaches).  And if that's not enough to look forward to, in a couple months we need to put together all the paperwork to renew our visa to remain in the country for another two years.  I don't need to tell you, but it feels like the "to do" list keeps growing no matter how much we do.

God has been faithful to us.  He has kept us from illness, provided for our needs, and has blessed us with great friends and family in Christ here.  Words cannot convey the sweet aroma of the fruit which we have seen produced for the glory of God.  It has not been without struggles, challenges, and seemingly insurmountable odds, but through God we will do valiantly.  When God is brought into the picture, odds are the fancies of fools.  With God, all things are possible.  Looking back, it's amazing how far God has brought us.  He has encouraged and strengthened us.  We look forward with great expectancy, believing God will bring to completion the work He has begun.  How exciting is that, seeing that the ride of our lives is just beginning!