As Sweet as Honey

Meditate on kind words.

Kind words are like honey—sweet to the soul and healthy for the body. Proverbs 16:24

I grew up with honey bee hives…several supers…on our farm, so we always had lots of honey. The bees were a necessary pollinator for our alfalfa crop and fruit trees. My Dad had the bee keeper’s outfit with a netted wide brimmed helmet type hat and thick leather gloves that he wore with long pants and long-sleeved shirt or coveralls. He had a smoker that he used to pump smoke into the hives to stun the bees before he opened the hives up to check on them…or to collect the honey. Yum! Nothing better than chewing a chunk of fresh honey comb filled with sweet honey. Dad would cut the comb off the racks and put in new combs for the bees to fill up. It was much neater than the bees making their own comb. You’d think that they would be organized about that, but in reality, they were messy builders. We slowly heated the honey comb in a big canning pot to melt the honey out of the comb and poured into large glass jars to store all year long. It keeps forever. Later in life I had friends who spun their honey out of the comb. Things change. Farmers now use leaf cutter bees which are even better pollinators for alfalfa, but there is no bonus of the sweet honey. 

God’s words are as sweet as honey to me. They last all year—actually like the honey, forever. I savior their flavor…and love to share them with my family and friends…and readers of this blog.

Oh, how I love your instructions! I think about them all day long. Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are my constant guide. Yes, I have more insight than my teachers, for I am always thinking of your laws. I am even wiser than my elders, for I have kept your commandments. I have refused to walk on any evil path, so that I may remain obedient to your word. I haven't turned away from your regulations, for you have taught me well. How sweet your words taste to me; they are sweeter than honey. Your commandments give me understanding; no wonder I hate every false way of life. Psalm 119:97-104

Kind words…the kind that you want to hear and speak to others. If we apply God’s word to guide our lives in obedience to Him then we will be blessed with wisdom and understanding. Are you seeking and using God’s words to influence your choices in life? Choose His sweet words—they are even sweeter than honey.

Prayer ~ LORD, accept my offering of praise, and teach me your regulations. My life constantly hangs in the balance, but I will not stop obeying your instructions. ... Your laws are my treasure; they are my heart's delight. I am determined to keep your decrees to the very end. Psalm 119:108-109, 111-112 Thank You, Lord. I rejoice in discovering new truths about You.

Verse of Salvation ~ We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. Romans 5:3-5

Bible Trivia Answer to the Question: Name seven things we’ll see…or won’t see…in Heaven.

1.       .  God.

    I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God's home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them.” Revelation 21:3

2                 2. We won’t see anything evil or those who don’t believe in Jesus as their Savior.

Nothing evil will be allowed to enter, nor anyone who practices shameful idolatry and dishonesty—but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life. Revelation 21:27

        3.  We won’t see any oceans.
            Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. Revelation 21:1
    4.      No tears, death or sorrow.

He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever. Revelation 21:4

5.          5.  No Temple.

        I saw no temple in the city, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. Revelation 21:22

6.          6.  Walls around Jerusalem are made of precious stones and the streets are made of gold.

The wall was made of jasper, and the city was pure gold, as clear as glass. The wall of the city was built on foundation stones inlaid with twelve precious stones: the first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. The twelve gates were made of pearls—each gate from a single pearl! And the main street was pure gold, as clear as glass. Revelation 21:18-21

7.          7. No sun or moon.

And the city has no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light. Revelation 21:23 

Bible Trivia Question for next week ~ What gave Samson his strength? How did he lose it?

Shirley & Bob
Anne & Vicki

Happy Heavenly Birthday to my sister, Shirley.

Rest in Peace…hopefully we’ll see you soon - as Jesus returns for us!

Think sweet, not sour

© 2021 Text, photos and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted.

New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation.

Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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