Honey in the Rock
On a recent family holiday to Rhodes we visited the Bee Museum—a place alive with the buzz of bees and the rich aroma of honey! As we wandered through exhibits showcasing the history and significance of these remarkable creatures, a verse from Psalm 81 came to mind. In verse 16, God promises, "But you would be fed with the finest of wheat; with honey from the rock I would satisfy you". The imagery is striking here: honey from the rock. Rocks are hard, unyielding, and often barren. They symbolise difficult places in our lives, situations where we might expect only hardship and struggle. Yet God promises sweetness and sustenance from these very places.
Just as bees extract nectar from flowers to produce honey, God brings forth His goodness and provision from the most unexpected places in our lives. We often anticipate His blessings in times of abundance and ease, but He reveals His sweetness in the midst of trials and challenges too.
Think of the Israelites, whom God led out of Egypt and through the wilderness. Their journey was fraught with difficulty, yet God provided for them in miraculous ways - manna from heaven, water from a rock, and ultimately, the promise of a land flowing with milk and honey. In their moments of doubt and hardship, God’s provision was a constant reminder of His faithfulness and love.
In our own lives, we may face "rocks" - circumstances that seem devoid of hope or comfort. It is in these very moments that God invites us to trust Him, to look beyond the hardness and discover His provision. He turns our trials into testimonies and our struggles into stories of His grace. And the sweetness of His presence and provision often shines brightest against the backdrop of our darkest times.
Reflecting on Psalm 81, let us be reminded of God's unwavering promise to satisfy us with honey from the rock. His goodness and mercy are not confined to our expectations; they overflow in the most surprising ways. When we find ourselves in tough situations, let’s actively look for the "honey" - those unexpected blessings and tangible expressions of His love and faithfulness.