Sweeter than Honey

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

Samson was a strange dude. He was arrogant, revengeful, a player, and a jokester, but God still used him to deliver the nation of Israel from the Philistines. So, there is still hope for that Rookie. While traveling, Samson walked past a lion carcass he had killed the week before. Looking into the rotting belly of this animal, he noticed that bees had made a hive there, and it was now full of sweet honey. He challenged his adversaries with a riddle; “Out of the eater, something to eat; out of the strong, something sweet(Judges 14:14).” They never would have gotten it if Samson’s wife didn’t blab. The sight of this unlikely beehive made an impression on Samson.

In the New Testament in the book of Philippians, the apostle Paul writes to the people of Philippi saying, “What has happened to me has actually served to advance the Gospel(1:12).” What happened to Paul? Well, he entered Rome as a preacher and ended up being a prisoner chained to a guard 24/7. Jail was not part of his plan and probably is not part of yours either. Life throws us curves, and often we find ourselves in our own version of prison. To some our prison is relationship issues, to others declining health or disease. Maybe for you it’s financial problems or addiction. Or you could just be just sick of all the political turmoil and how it has affected your job, home, and family. Paul however, didn’t allow his prison to get him down. He knew something we don’t.

Often when we face difficulties, we pray for God to deliver us and free us, to get us out of here, and to make everything whole, better, and as it should be. Often He does, but sometimes He has another plan; the plan he had for Paul.

You’ve heard it said that when everyone is running away from a fire, firefighters run in. I will tell you that when you find yourself in your personal prison, God may not save you. He may not grab you and run out. He may actually run into your prison to be with you in your time of despair. That’s what God did with Paul. He met him in his prison. This changed the lives of those trapped with him, and empowered Paul to courageously claim, “Christ will be exalted in my body whether by life or death(1:20).” He went on to proclaim, “To live is Christ and to die is gain(1:21).” Wow!

What an odd story Samson told. In a rotting body of a dead animal, bees entered to make something sweet. How much more will God meet you in your rotten situation with something sweeter than honey- His presence, love, and comfort. He will give you the courage to say, no matter how this works out, God is with me, and I’m with Him, and its gonna be alright.

Look for God “in” your circumstances not just as a path out of them.

-Retired HFD District Chief Jeff Boles