“So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey-- the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites” (Exodus 3:8 NIV)”
One morning I was listening to “the Jesus Christ show” on the radio and I heard something quite profound: a comparison between bees and flies. What do they have in common? Well, they both are insects and have wings. The flies, however, flit from dung pile to dung pile to garbage can to other things unmentionable. They have a short life span, put up little resistance to attack, contribute nothing of value to their environment, spread disease and have no social organization. In Matthew 12, Satan is referred to as Baalzebub (a reference to the god of Ekron 2 Kings 1). Baalzebub means "Lord of the Flies" an apt description of Satan the devil as leader of the flies.
The bees, on the other hand, are highly organized, make honey (which is a useful product), and fiercely defend their own kind. Isn’t that an analogy of our experience? Unbelievers have an uneventful selfish existence, have a degree of happiness if the circumstances they experience are beneficial to them, can spread evil and heartbreak, and then die. Believers, have a community of love, purpose, joy regardless of the circumstances, and a VERY useful product: the good news of Jesus’ death for us and His resurrection. THAT is the honey of our promised land. That is what this Christian life is all about. Is it worth defending? I will let you be the judge.
Pray: “Dear Lord, show us that You, Lord, are the good news we have to share with others. Help us to see that we have a reason for living our lives, and are always invited to share in your joy.”