{"id":922,"date":"2009-11-08T03:01:00","date_gmt":"2009-11-08T03:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/markdroberts\/2009\/11\/sunday-inspiration-from-the-high-calling-75.html"},"modified":"2009-11-08T03:01:00","modified_gmt":"2009-11-08T03:01:00","slug":"sunday-inspiration-from-the-high-calling-75","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2009\/11\/sunday-inspiration-from-the-high-calling-75.html","title":{"rendered":"Sunday Inspiration from The High Calling"},"content":{"rendered":"

Honey from the Rock<\/h3>\n

READ Psalm 81:1-16<\/a><\/p>\n

“But I would feed you with the finest wheat.
\nI would satisfy you with wild honey from the rock.\u201d<\/p>\n

Psalm 81:16<\/a><\/p>\n

In Psalm 81, the Lord invites Israel to receive the very best of his blessings. \u201cOpen your mouth wide,\u201d he says, \u201cand I will fill it with good things\u201d (81:10). In order to receive this bounty, God\u2019s people need only to listen to his words and walk in his paths (81:13). Then, the Lord promises, \u201cI would feed you the finest wheat. I would satisfy you with wild honey from the rock\u201d (81:16).
\n\u201cThe finest wheat,\u201d literally in Hebrew, \u201cthe fat of the wheat,\u201d is that from which one makes the best bread and other baked goods. That which comes from the finest wheat is both tasty and healthy. \u201cWild honey from the rock\u201d adds some zest to the bread. The psalmist may envision a bees\u2019 nest under some rocky crag, from which one takes delicious honey.
\nAs I think about Psalm 81:16, I\u2019m impressed by God\u2019s offer of wild honey. To be sure, honey has some nutritional benefits. But, unlike wheat, it is meant mostly to delight the one who eats it. Honey adds sweetness and joy to eating. So, without pressing the imagery of this verse too far, I think it\u2019s true to say that God offers, not only nutrition, but also pleasure to those who hear and do his words. Sometimes we think of obeying God so much in terms of what we must give up that we fail to remember the rewards of obedience. Our God, who created honey and our ability to enjoy it, wants us to live a full, rich life, a life of genuine pleasure. This comes as we seek the Lord and follow his ways.
\nQUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION<\/strong>: Do you tend to associate pleasure and enjoyment with God? Why or why not? When has obedience led to joy for you?
\nPRAYER<\/strong>: Dear Lord, today I hear your invitation to Israel as if it were for me. You are urging me to hear and follow your words, to walk in your ways. I\u2019m to do this, not only because it\u2019s right, which would be reason enough, but also because it leads to\u00a0the best possible life. Obeying you is the way, not only of righteous and significant living, but also of joyful and truly pleasant living.
\nHelp me, Lord, to delight in your good gifts, to enjoy them, and to give you thanks for them. Remind me even to savor my food, to relish the varieties of flavors you have created, yes, even the tastes of good bread and honey.
\nThank you, gracious God, for your goodness to me, for filling my life with your grace. Amen<\/em>.
\nP.S. from Mark:<\/strong> For a fascinating series of photos depicting the taking of honey \u201cfrom the rock\u201d in Nepal, check out this website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

_________________________________________________<\/p>\n

<\/a>Would you like to receive a Daily Reflection like this one in your email inbox each morning?\u00a0 <\/strong>
\nHere’s how . . . . <\/em><\/strong>
\nThis devotional comes from The High Calling of Our Daily Work <\/em>(www.thehighcalling.org<\/a>), a wonderful website about work and God<\/em>. You can read my Daily Reflections<\/a> there, or sign up to have them sent to your email inbox<\/a> each day. This website contains lots of encouragement for people who are trying to live out their faith in the workplace.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Honey from the Rock READ Psalm 81:1-16 “But I would feed you with the finest wheat. I would satisfy you with wild honey from the rock.\u201d Psalm 81:16 In Psalm 81, the Lord invites Israel to receive the very best of his blessings. \u201cOpen your mouth wide,\u201d he says, \u201cand I will fill it with…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":214,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-922","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sunday-inspiration"],"yoast_head":"\nSunday Inspiration from The High Calling - Mark D. 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Roberts","description":"Mark D. Roberts: Thoughtfully Christian Reflections on Jesus, the Church, and the World","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/#\/schema\/person\/1ff094a57b7e41f534434b1723df3d73","name":"Mark D. Roberts","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-content\/wphb-cache\/gravatar\/f2d\/f2ddf5f080861f66ea230384f9d1bab2x96.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-content\/wphb-cache\/gravatar\/f2d\/f2ddf5f080861f66ea230384f9d1bab2x96.jpg","caption":"Mark D. Roberts"},"description":"The Rev. Dr. Mark D. Roberts is a pastor, author, retreat leader, speaker, and blogger. Since October 2007 he has been the Senior Director and Scholar-in-Residence for Laity Lodge, a multifaceted ministry in the Hill Country of Texas. Before coming to Laity Lodge, he was for sixteen years the Senior Pastor of Irvine Presbyterian Church in Irvine, California (a city in Orange County about forty miles south of Los Angeles). Before his time at Irvine Pres, Mark served on the staff of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood as Associate Pastor of Education. (Thanks to Janel Pahl for taking the photo to the right.) Mark studied at Harvard University, receiving a B.A. in Philosophy, an M.A. in the Study of Religion, and a Ph.D. in New Testament and Christian Origins. He has taught classes in New Testament for Fuller Theological Seminary and San Francisco Theological Seminary. Mark has written several books, including No Holds Barred: Wrestling with God in Prayer (WaterBrook, 2005), Dare to Be True (WaterBrook, 2003), Jesus Revealed (WaterBrook, 2002), After \"I Believe\" (Baker, 2002), and Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther (Word, 1993). His most recent book is Can We Trust the Gospels? Investigating the Reliability of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John (Crossway, 2007). He is currently working on a commentary on Ephesians that will be published by Zondervan in 2014. Mark writes a devotional for The High Calling of Our Daily Work, a website associated with Laity Lodge. His \"Daily Reflections\" can be viewed online or sent as a daily email. If you wish to receive this email, just visit TheHighCalling.org and sign up. Mark serves on the editorial board of Worship Leader magazine, where he publishes articles and reviews, including his regular column \"Lyrical Poetry.\" Additionally, he has published dozens of articles in leading magazines and journals. He often speaks for churches and other Christian groups, and has been interviewed on over seventy-five radio programs nationwide. Mark is married to Linda, who is a Marriage and Family Therapist, a Spiritual Director, and a retreat speaker. They have two children, Nathan and Kara.For Publicity Photos and Bio Statements for Mark, please check here. Mark's Dossier Professional History: Senior Director and Scholar-in Residence, Laity Lodge, October 2007 to present. Senior Pastor Irvine Presbyterian Church, June 1991 to September 2007 Adjunct Assistant Professor Fuller Theological Seminary, 1994 to 2007. Courses: New Testament Theology and Exegesis. Adjunct Instructor San Francisco Theological Seminary, 1995 to 2001. Courses: New Testament Greek and Exegesis Associate Pastor of Education First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood, 1987-1991 Teaching Fellow Harvard University, 1980-1983 Education: Ph.D. in the Study of Religion. Harvard University, 1992. Area: New Testament and Christian Origins M.A. in the Study of Religion Harvard University, 1984. A.B. magna cum laude in Philosophy Harvard University, 1979. Phi Beta Kappa; Danforth Fellowship Books: Can We Trust the Gospels? Investigating the Reliability of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Crossway, 2007 No Holds Barred: Wrestling with God in Prayer. WaterBrook, 2005 Dare to Be True: Living in the Freedom of Complete Honesty. WaterBrook, 2003. Jesus Revealed: Know Him Better to Love Him Better. WaterBrook, 2002. After \"I Believe\": Experiencing Authentic Christian Living. Baker, 2002. Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther in the Communicator's Commentary Series. Word, 1993. Contacting Mark: You can reach Mark at: E-mail: mark@markdroberts.com mroberts@laitylodge.org Phone: Laity Lodge: (830) 792-1216 Address: Laity Lodge 719 Earl Garrett Kerrville, TX 78028","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/author\/mroberts"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/922","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/214"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=922"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/922\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=922"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=922"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=922"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}