Sweeter as the days go by! That truly is how it is when you’re serving Christ and doing your best to stay in the center of His will. I had, what my friend Gloria and I call a “Cinderella” day yesterday. It’s when all the stars align, and things are going well. You’re just having a great day.
I taught on the Holy Spirit in my Teen Sunday School class and the kids were so gracious and interactive with the lesson. And as they walked out of the class they said to each other, “this was a good day.” And I thought, yes, yes it was! Not because of me but because the Prince had shown up.
We then went to worship and again the Spirit was moving in the service and it was so, so very good!
During and after church there were terrible wind storms and the trees began to break, tearing the power lines down and knocking out our electric. On a day that I had two grandbabies. So no tv, no internet, video games were dying and it could have gone down the tubes were it not for the kids who said, “can we make crafts?”
So we spent the afternoon making paper and craft stick projects and the it was a sweet time. That I would not have had, if the power hadn’t have gone out.
Well how true is that in life that we don’t realize how sweet some things are until they’re gone. Or, we’ll spend so much time focusing on the negative and ignore the positive.
I can tell you when the electric went off I was about to get frustrated. Had it not been for the kids, I would have. They just roll with the punches. So it started me thinking about how many times I’ll look at the painful events in my life and much like the honey bee’s of spring we’re about to experience, all I see is the stinger. I forget about the sweet honey that I love the flavor of.
Psalm 19
7 The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
Glory to God! Even a simpleton like me can have a Cinderella moment in the study of the Word of God because the Holy Spirit makes it possible.
While the law of the Lord is perfect, I am far from it. And I’m a rule breaker from a way back; so getting my flesh under control isn’t always easy and it’s seldom ever fun.
Most people do not like bees buzzing around the flowers of their house for fear of getting stung. The focus is not on the honey, it’s on the potential pain. And while the saying “no pain, no gain,” has its place in fitness, it doesn’t necessarily have to be so in life.
If we would focus less on what we can’t do and more on what we can do in Christ, the days certainly get sweeter. When the lights went off yesterday my first thought was, well, there goes wifi. The boys first thought was, let’s get some glue!
There are 10 “Thou Shalt nots”. But how many shalls are there?
I don’t know, but I know there’s a bunch.
The testimonies mentioned in verse seven is why we find great joy in verse eight.
8 The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.
We know in our hearts that the advice of the Lord is always good. His word is always right and encouraging to our souls. And if we allow that word to really penetrate the heart to the point of rejoicing, God suddenly opens up the scriptures in ways that we’d never noticed before.
The more we testify, study and share the word of God with each other, the more we find ourselves focusing on the honey, not the sting.
We still fear the bee, but we’re not fretting over him. We’re happier if we can just let him do his thing and we’ll reap the reward later in the grocery aisle of a sweet jar of honey.
Two more verses and then we’ll be ready to get on with our day.
Fear is a healthy emotion if it’s kept in check.
We should have a healthy fear of bees, rock cliffs and fast driving. And the Lord!
Verse 9 days The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
Fearing God isn’t something terrible. It’s a healthy respect for He Who controls the world.
We almost missed Sunday evening services. But not quite. The electric came back on 45 minute before church was due to start. If I had gotten frustrated because of all the things I wanted to get done and didn’t yesterday afternoon, I could have ruined not only the afternoon but the evening as well.
I know from experience. Our mindset is ¾ of the battle on any given day. So are you looking at the honey, or are you watchin’ the stinger?
It’s good to be reminded about Who is in control.
Verse 10:
More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
What’s to be desired more than gold? His judgements. His decisions on our behalf are sweeter than honey and the honey comb.
Just before Jesus disappeared into the sky after the Resurrection He shared something with His people.
Fish and honeycomb.
Luke 24
36 And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
37 But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.
38 And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?
39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.
40 And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.
41 And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?
42 And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.
43 And he took it, and did eat before them.
44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,
Psalm 19, The Law of Moses and Luke 24, all work in perfect harmony. Just like our lives if we let God control the narrative.
They were standing in front of the risen Lord, feeding Him fish and honey. And He tells them, I’m the real deal.
And He’s still telling us that today.
Even in the hard times, and they were about to have some as the persecuted church. But God wanted them to remember a sweeter time.
I hope you have a sweet, sweet day today! And praise His name at days end.