“There's honey in the rock
Water in the stone
Manna on the ground
No matter where I go
I don't need to worry now that I know
Everything I need You've got
There's honey in the rock.”

We recently introduced this song at FBC. Haven’t heard it before? Give it a listen here:

Honey In The Rock

Unless you’ve spent some time in the book of Exodus, you might find yourself wondering why in the world we’re singing about finding water in stones and honey in rocks. (Seems unlikely.) (And if you’re new to church, you’re definitely wondering what “manna on the ground” is all about.) Stay with us. It’s so good.

Brandon Lake, Brooke Ligertwood, and Mitch Wong wrote the song with Psalm 81:16 in mind:

Psalm 81:16

“But he would feed you with the finest of the wheat, and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.” (ESV)

But, we actually see the concept of “honey from the rock” much earlier in Scripture. It’s found in Deuteronomy 32 – a song Moses wrote describing how God tenderly cared for His people during their journey through the wilderness:

Deuteronomy 32:9-13 (HCSB)

9 But the Lord’s portion is His people,
Jacob, His own inheritance.

10 He found him in a desolate land,
in a barren, howling wilderness;
He surrounded him, cared for him,
and protected him as the pupil of His eye.
11 He watches over His nest like an eagle
and hovers over His young;
He spreads His wings, catches him,
and lifts him up on His pinions.
12 The Lord alone led him,
with no help from a foreign god.
13 He made him ride on the heights of the land
and eat the produce of the field.
He nourished him with honey from the rock
and oil from flint-like rock…

God’s pattern in the wilderness? Providing nourishment from the unlikeliest sources. Exodus tells us that:

• He brought sweet, clean water out of a bitter water source in Marah. (Exodus 15:22-27)

• He sent birds and bread from Heaven to eat (Chicken sandwich, anyone?). (Exodus 16:13-15)

• He sprung water out of a rock at Horeb. (Exodus 17:5-6)

It’s no surprise, then, that He can also bring honey from a rock and olives from stony ground.

One commentary suggests the following:

"The high places" and "the fields" are specially applicable to the tablelands of Gilead as are the allusions to the herds and flocks, the honey of the wild bees which hive in the crevices of the rocks, the oil from the olive as it grew singly or in small clumps on the tops of hills where scarcely anything else would grow…”

-       Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

The God we serve PROVIDES IN THE WILDERNESS.

Later on in Psalm 81, when Asaph revisits the “honey from the rock” idea, it’s from a different angle. This time, it’s mourning Israel’s rebellion against God, even though He had given the Israelites every reason to trust Him in the wilderness. Verse 16 serves as the conclusion of a really sad string of verses that could be summarized by the words, “if only”. If only Israel had listened to God’s voice instead of giving their hearts to idols, God would have been so ready to once again pour out blessing on them against all odds.

The truth is…That’s still His heart - to satisfy His people.

What does that mean for us?

Well, here’s what it doesn’t mean: “Let’s be faithful to God so He can give us the 21st-century-equivalent of “honey from the rock”.

Rather, the idea is this: we serve a God whose very character is - and always has been - to satisfy His people in the middle of our wildernesses as we continue following Him.

Even in the height of our struggles and painful seasons, sweetness can be found in the Lord’s presence. His goodness brings us joy that satisfies more deeply than favorable circumstances ever could.

A QUESTION

This leads us to a question that’s so good for each of our souls to wrestle with:

“How have I experienced God in the wilderness?”

Through it all, who has He proven to be toward me?

Jeremiah 2 records a piercing question from God toward His people in the midst of their rebellion:

“I remember how eager you were to please Me as a young bride long ago, how you loved Me and followed Me even through the barren wilderness…Have I been like a desert to Israel? Have I been to them like a land of darkness? Why then do My people say, ‘At least we are free from God! We don’t need Him anymore!’” (Jeremiah 2:2b, 31)

In other words, God is asking His people,

“Is there a reason you have forsaken Me?

Have I given you a reason to doubt My faithfulness to you?

Are you rebelling against Me because your experience of Me has given you reason to be disillusioned by Me?

No.

I led you THROUGH the wilderness.

I am not your wilderness.

Darkness and desert has NOT been your experience of Me.

I’ve led you THROUGH them both.

Your experience of Me has been miraculous deliverance from unbelievable and impossible situations.

Your experience of Me has been water in the stone, honey from the rock, manna on the ground.

Your experience of Me has been that I alone can satisfy you completely.”

Which brings us back to that question.

“How have I experienced God in the wilderness?”

May we be a people who resoundingly answer:

• “The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” (Psalm 18:2).

• “The Lord is my light and my salvation.” (Psalm 27:1a)

• “The Lord is the stronghold of my life.” (Psalm 27:1b)

• “[His] Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105)

• “The Lord is my banner.” (Exodus 17:15)

• “God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” (Psalm 73:26b)

• “The Lord is my Shepherd.” (Psalm 23:1a)

When we’ve reflected on who our God has been to us in the wilderness, we will be able to joyfully testify:

 I keep looking, I keep finding
You keep giving, keep providing
I have all that I need
You are all that I need…

And…

Oh, how sweet, how sweet it is
To trust in You, Jesus
Oh, how sweet, how sweet it is
To trust in You, Jesus
Oh, how sweet, how sweet it is
To trust in You, Jesus.

Selah.

How have you experienced God in your wildernesses? Leave a comment below.

Faithful God,
Creator of time and seasons,
In Your generosity, You have brought us to the dawn of another autumn. (Genesis 1:14, Psalms 74:16-17, Psalms 104:19)

As we mark the sunset of summer,
Fill us with gratitude for the good things You’ve given us to enjoy in its warmth. (James 1:17)

In this season marked by renewed academic pursuits of many,
Invigorate us also to renew our desire to be students of Your Word. (Psalm 119:103, Colossians 3:16)

In the changing routines of our family or of those dear to us,
In the flurry of lunch packing, evening sporting events, and homework assignments,
Give us steadfast hearts stayed on You as we trust in You. (Isaiah 26:3-4, Hebrews 13:8)

As new settings provide fresh opportunities for interaction,
Let us make much of Jesus Christ. (Matthew 5:14, 2 Corinthians 5:17-21)

In the challenges we will face in this season, both known and unknown,
We rest in this: each challenge is foreseen by You, and bends to Your good purposes.
In your kindness, our challenges in this season will make us more like Jesus. (Romans 8:28-29)

In Your love, expose the mirage of our own strength.
Let us instead thirst for Your grace and wisdom, which are generously supplied, should we ask. (1 Chronicles 16:11, Psalm 121:1-2, Proverbs 3:5-6, John 15:5, Hebrews 4:15-16, James 1:5)

Amidst all that will surely fill our days,
Let us seek first Your Kingdom,
And there find every need supplied. (Psalm 84:11, Matthew 6:33)

There’s a fierce pursuit and gritty determination that burns in the spirits of God’s men.

There’s a mounting hunger for the type of work that’s dangerous to the enemy.

There’s a source of delight far superior to the fleeting comforts of ease and passivity.

There’s a steady strength unlocked by the exchange of self-reliance for God-dependence.  

There’s a vigilant loyalty to honor the lowly and protect the vulnerable.

And there’s an identity-forged confidence that’s unafraid to display tenderness, understanding that the Lion was also the Lamb.

The spirit in a man of God is to be prized and honored.

So, this Father’s Day, we rise up and we bless you, men. We bless you for the virtues this world disparages as cheap. We bless you for patterning your life after your older brother Jesus, while you lead others to do the same (Hebrews 2:11). A company of brothers has gone before - a company of the redeemed. May their legacy infuse your steps with strength as you pass down the heritage of biblical manhood to future generations.

---

May you comprehend as tangibly as Adam, that you were made in God’s image. (Genesis 1:26)

May you lead as a man who walks with God like Enoch. (Genesis 5:24)

May you be found righteous like Noah, though the whole world rejects God. (Genesis 6:5-9)

May you, like Job, choose to bless the Lord in the middle of your affliction. (Job 1:21-22)

May you, like Abraham, let nothing cause you to waver concerning God’s promise. (Romans 4:20-21)

May your life, as Isaac’s, stand as living proof that God fulfills His word. (Genesis 21:1-2)

May you walk in the sovereign & undeserved blessing of God, like Jacob. (Genesis 35:9-12)

May you, with Joseph, witness God take what the enemy intended for evil and use it for good. (Genesis 50:20)

In the way of Moses, may your acts of obedience result in miraculous deliverance. (Exodus 3:10)

With the zeal of Joshua, may your knowledge of God’s presence vanquish fear and fortify you for battle. (Joshua 1:9)

May you join Caleb in history as a man with a different spirit, who followed the Lord fully. (Numbers 14:24)

May you walk in purpose with the valor God supplies, just as He bestowed to Gideon. (Judges 6:12)

May you determine with Samson that your strength comes from the Lord. (Judges 16:28-30)

May God use you, as He did Boaz, to epitomize His nature to protect, provide, and redeem. (Ruth 2:8-9, 3:9)

May you say often, with Samuel: “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” (1 Samuel 3:10)

May you, like David, chase the heart of God in the seasons of your exaltation, desperation, repentance, and redemption. (Psalm 63:1)

May you, conclude with Solomon, that God alone can satisfy. (Ecclesiastes 12:13)

May you share, with Elijah, a singular and consuming desire for the glory of God. (1 Kings 18:36-37)

May you, like Elisha, yearn for a double portion of the spiritual zeal of your fathers in the faith. (2 Kings 2:9)

May you share Hosea’s profound certainty of God’s faithfulness to an unfaithful people. (Hosea 2:23)

Like Isaiah, may you spend your life stirring up the hope of God in the hearts of weary people. (Isaiah 40:31)

May you carry on Hezekiah’s legacy to do what is right in the eyes of the Lord. (2 Kings 18:5)

May you stand with Josiah to read the words of God to the people He has entrusted to you. (2 Kings 23:1-3)

May God fortify you as an iron wall amidst opposition, just like Jeremiah. (Jeremiah 1:18)

May the sum of your life experience match the testimony of Daniel: God doesn’t abandon His own. (Daniel 6:21-22)

May you see yourself in Mordecai, whose influence God used to preserve His people. (Esther 4:12-14)

May you, shoulder to shoulder with Nehemiah, build your portion of the kingdom of God. (Nehemiah 2:17-18)

Like Joseph of Nazareth, may you trust God to do the unimaginable. (Matthew 1:20-25)

May you share in the joy of John the Baptist as your decrease becomes Jesus’ increase. (John 3:28-30)

May you live in the uncommon humility and honesty of an unnamed father who confessed, “I believe; help my unbelief.” (Mark 9:24)

May your allegiance to Christ echo down through future generations with the words of Peter: “Where else would we go? You have the words of eternal life.” (John 6:68-69)

May your most treasured identity mirror John’s as a disciple whom Jesus loves. (John 13:23)

Like Stephen, may you live your life full of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 7:55)

May you proclaim from the mountaintops with Paul that God can use anyone. (1 Timothy 1:12-17)

May you, with Timothy, be known for your genuine faith. (2 Timothy 1:5)

And may you, with Jude, become a living doxology, ever pointing to “the One who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of His glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever.” (Jude 24-25)

Amen.

FAITH MISSION

Every day, Vera Swihart looks forward to working with volunteers who, in her words, “feel like they are being just as blessed by serving others as they are a blessing to those they serve.” The outpouring is reciprocal, and Vera has witnessed it firsthand. She’s worn many hats at Faith Mission over the years, including secretarial work in the 70’s and administrative assistant duties in the 80’s and 90’s, before she became Faith Mission’s volunteer coordinator in 2008.

Faith Mission was born out of a shared dream of two pastors in 1956 to serve the homeless community in Elkhart. The space they rented downtown became a haven for those without lodging or food, and the streets of our city became their well-worn routes for carrying the message of hope in Christ.

Today, Faith Mission still operates with the same heartbeat: providing shelter, meals, clothing, programs, and faith-based hope to our community in need. They’ve added long-term residential and life skill programs that help individuals and families build strong foundations for longevity and stability, pursue employment, and experience lasting change. Over the last few years, they’ve partnered with The Crossing School, local businesses, churches (including FBC), and community volunteers to build “Tiny Homes” that provide emergency shelter to individuals and families.

FBC VOLUNTEERS CONSTRUCT TINY HOMES

God has flooded blessing and favor on what began as a nudge from the Holy Spirit on two pastors in a Bible class together. It has grown to truly demonstrate the passage written above the serving counter in their dining room in scripted brushstrokes:

“Feed the hungry and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as day.” – Isaiah 58:10 (The Living Bible)

“Generally speaking,” Vera shared, “when an individual is at his/her lowest point, even the basic things we provide at Faith Mission are really appreciated.” By helping Faith Mission meet even basic physical needs, volunteers make a profound impact on lives. What blesses her the most, is her volunteers’ willingness to perform their best as “unto the Lord”.

Matthew 25:35-40

(Holman Christian Standard Bible)

“‘For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat;
I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink;
I was a stranger and you took Me in;
I was naked and you clothed Me;
I was sick and you took care of Me;
I was in prison and you visited Me.’

Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or without clothes and clothe You? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and visit You?’

And the King will answer them, ‘I assure you: Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.’”

FEED THE CHILDREN

Across town, Darlene Anderson Wilson spends the best hours of her days at Feed The Children. This location that God has placed “in our backyard” is one of 5 distribution centers where Feed the Children funnels food resources and other essential supplies to families in poverty and affected by natural disasters.

Darlene’s role at Feed the Children as Volunteer Engagement Supervisor has her constantly sharing life with the people that make this enormous operation work, and she LOVES it: 

“I am always touched by the generosity of volunteers’ time to come in. I know how busy my life is and I know many of them have just worked an 8 to 10-hour day and still come in to pack boxes to help others as busy as they are.” – Darlene Anderson Wilson

In addition to guiding Volunteers, Darlene oversees the Teacher Store, which invites teachers to “shop” for classroom supplies at no personal expense. Darlene has seen the way this impacts the hearts of local teachers: “I’ve seen it in something as simple as providing a teacher with a new chair for their desk or having books that are “perfect” for their students,” Darlene said. “The teachers leave here knowing we care about the work they are doing, and some have cried from the generosity they are shown.”

FBC VOLUNTEERS AT FEED THE CHILDREN

The overwhelming pattern in what Darlene shared with us is how God shows up in the moment-by-moment interactions that happen at the Distribution Center.

She treasures her interactions with the at-risk students who come and volunteer, describing the moments when they share with her the things that are important to them, their smiles in response to a “job well done”, and their laughter and camaraderie as they tell stories and even sing while packing boxes. “They come in and help complete whatever task we have for the day with enthusiasm and an eagerness to help out. When they are here, it seems like they forget about their circumstances for a while and are just kids volunteering,” Darlene shared.

Whether she’s helping a driver who can’t find an address or even helping a parent line up community service work for their son or daughter, Darlene understands that each of her scenarios at Feed The Children is an opportunity to spread kindness and grace to others.

As God uses Feed the Children to intervene in the cycle of poverty both domestically and abroad, He is also orchestrating encounters and conversations in a volunteer context to intervene in lives with His love. And that’s pretty incredible.