Honey part 1
The Promised Land flows with milk and honey. Milk is righteousness. Honey is revelation. There's a story in 1 Samuel where Saul ordered his men not to eat until they had defeated the enemy. "And when the people were come into the wood, behold, the honey dropped; but no man put his hand to his mouth: for th epeople feared the oath" (1 Samuel 14:26). But Jonathan, Saul's son, didn't know about the oath, and he ate the honey. And he had this to say, "...My father hath troubled the land, see, I pray you, how mine eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey" (1 Samuel 14:29). So that's why I equate honey to revelation. He ate it, and his eyes were enlightened. He could see clearly. And he could clearly see that withholding it from the people was no good. That's why I call my ministry "Word Without Walls." I want to make the gospel of love accessible to people. No walls keeping some people in and some people out. No member's only jackets. Just unconditional love being given away with no exceptations. And, if you look at this story strictly in the natural, why would you diminish people fighting for you by denying them food? Its hard to fight on an empty stomach. Its hard to do ANYTHING on an empty stomach. I told my boss at work, "If I don't get my lunch you're going to see a very different version of Mr. Tom." Because patience is my super power... but when I'm hungry I get irritable. Cranky. Hangry (hungry + angry). I can't see straight. (See what I did there?). And while I'm trying to set up the foundation for this Rant series I want to spend a little time on how Jonathan GOT the honey. Check this out: "But Jonathan heard not when his father charged the people with the oath: wherefore he put forth the end of the rod that was in his hand, and dipped it in an honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened" (1 Samuel 14:27). He used the rod. You know... Jesus. Our revelation comes from Jesus because our revelation IS Jesus. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He is the Alpha and the Omega. He is everything we need to know. He is the truth about God--He told Philip, "If you've seen me, you've seen the Father."--and He is the truth about US. As He is, so are we in this world. He is the light of the world that allows us to see clearly. Remember how Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord? Well, that's what it means to have your eyes enlightened. The revelation of grace. The revelation of righteousness. The revelation of love. That's what you get when you eat honey off the rod. That's why the rod and the staff of the shepherd comforts us. They can correct us, but even in correction there can be comfort. You feel better when you're on the right path. When you know what's going on. And I'm not saying you will always know everything that's going on, but I AM saying that no matter what's going on you can know that God loves you. That your heavenly Father has your back. That He will never leave you nor forsake you. That you don't have to starve yourself (and I'm not getting into fasting right now, so leave that be). You can eat and be satisfied. You can let the honey of revelation refresh you. Just like when I Ranted about drinking a glass of milk if you need to remember who you are. Eat the honey, and let your eyes be enlightened, and see things clearly. See love everywhere you look. And let that love that's inside come out of you!