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Faith Imagined: Locusts and Honey

Faith Imagined

Alisa Hope Wagner: Christian Writer

October 17, 2010

Locusts and Honey


I used to have trouble hearing from the Holy Spirit; and from talking with other Christians, this is a common concern. Although the Holy Spirit doesn't answer all my questions and I don't understand many of my steps of obedience, I am now able to discern His voice more clearly.

I'm impressed by many figures in the Bible who receive revelation from God. They didn't question whether or not they heard from Him; they stood firmly on His direction in their life. Job, Abraham, Gideon, Joseph, Moses, David and Paul all heard clearly from God and tried to follow His leading.

I know that sin can clog our ears from hearing the Holy Spirit, but I think there is another phenomena plaguing Christians today, preventing them from hearing God's voice. We are bombarded with the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. We have so much information streaming into our minds that we can't hear above the noise.

I believe that we could consume more information in one day than people from history's past could consume in one year.

While David spent his days watching sheep and cultivating his relationship with God as a youth, our children spend their days devouring video games, magazines, Internet sites, television shows, books, movies, music, texts and the influences of dozens of people in a single day. I don't believe any one of these things is wrong, but too much exposure to information is causing our brains to become overweight and our spirits to starve.

I started hearing from God when I turned off the TV, threw away the magazines, walked away from the computer, monitored my music, became picky about movies, guarded my choice of books and protected myself from the influences of others. I stopped the flow of the information dump into my life, and finally the voice of God sounded from the mountaintops!

I thought, "There You are, God!"

God told me, "I was always here!"

Now before I decide to consume information, I tell myself this statement: "Eat the locusts and God will give you honey."

Entomophagy means to eat insects as food, which includes both locusts and honey. John the Baptist ate locusts and honey when he lived in the wilderness and preached God's Word. Locusts are continually found in the Bible, usually seen as pests devouring crops (Exodus 10.14). Obviously, there were a lot of locusts, and John didn't need money to buy them. Even though John was the only son of a Levite mother and father and had the ability to consume the choicest meats given as sacrifice, he settled for the bug.

However, John also ate honey. Honey is also found in the Bible and is used in reference to the abundance of the Promise Land (Deuteronomy 26:15), to cheer people up (1 Samuel 14:29), in celebration (Song of Solomon 5.1) and to describe God's Word (Ezekiel 3.2 & Psalm 19.10). I find it interesting that John topped off his day of bug munching with an amazing batch of wild honey!

I thought, "If honey represents God's Word, I want some more!"

God said, "Then start eating locusts, and you'll have more room for my honey!"

What I've discovered is that whenever I choose to avoid the delicacies of the world, God blesses me with His honey. Every time I sacrifice my cravings for what the world serves up, God is able to feed me with His glory. I'm learning to cater my appetite to spiritual things because I know that my life on this earth is short, and I don't want to be on my deathbed with stomach full of the world. I want more of God in my life.

I choose to eat locusts, so God can bless me with more honey.

"Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things" (Philippians 3.19 NIV).



Here's a fun article written in 1875 published in The New York Times about John the Baptist: "Locust-Eating."


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38 Comments:

Blogger MTJ said...

Hi Alisa,

I've never considered changing my diet but I do get your point about the our minds being bombarded daily with sounds, and images. I think hearing God is like fine tuning an instrument; once I have achieved the right pitch in my life, I can easily hear God.

You've stated a key point, "choose to avoid the delicacies of the world" and God blesses with His honey.

What a treat!

Blessings and peace.

MTJ

10:26 PM  
Blogger Walk In Truth said...

Hello Alisa,
I really like your post Locust & Honey.
About 5 months ago I felt like there were too many things that I was spending time on, or had too much interest in that had nothing to do with the Lord.

I really felt the Holy Spirit weighing this heavy on my heart, and over the months I have stopped viewing about 80% of the shows I watched because I was becoming desensitized to the language, and even how often "Oh my God" is said in about every show their is. This is a daily journey, learning not only to listen to the Holy Spirit, but act on it.
Love your post!!
Michele Katherine

11:57 PM  
Blogger Sharon said...

Alisa - I remember reading something one time about honey being a natural antibacterial substance. So, the analogy continues - the honey of the Word guards us from the bacteria of the world that would infect us with the disease of sin. Nope, I'll gladly take the honey. Love how you said "I'm learning to cater my appetite to spiritual things..." That's so true. I have lost weight this past year by carefully changing my diet. It's amazing how my appetite has changed. I don't crave the "bad stuff," and a healthier diet has changed my mental and emotional outlook, too. So, Lord, feed me with Your Word, and nourish me with Your Presence!

GOD BLESS!

1:47 AM  
Blogger Leah Adams said...

"choose to avoid the delicacies of the world". That is exactly what Daniel and his friends did and God blessed them hugely. Should be a lesson for all of us as we walk in this sin-tainted, delicay-saturated world.

Leah

6:27 AM  
Blogger Beth Herring said...

i love how i always learn something about the WORD when I come here. You fill me with a hunger for more and I thank you for being such a great servant of our precious Lord!

10:31 AM  
Blogger Wanda said...

Alisa, Alisa you've served up a delectable devotional for today. Never thought about locust & honey in this manner. At first thought I was thinking uh I'll pass on the locust. But isn't that just they way we are at times with God's Word? Willing to pass it over for something more palatable to the flesh but far less nutritious to our spirit. I'm definitely learning to feast more upon Him and His Word.

12:40 PM  
Blogger Kristen Torres-Toro said...

What a cool concept! Thanks for sharing this!

1:16 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Jen Keller says "Great post Alisa! The Holy Spirit shows us hidden messages in His word and it is our responsibility to seek them out. This is exactly what you have done, love it and you too!"

2:54 PM  
Blogger Jennifer Smith said...

Thank you for sharing this. Your words of "locust & honey" keep playing over & over in my mind. This article is also encouraging because by hearing of your experience, I feel less seemingly deprived. His goodness is satisfying.

4:13 PM  
Blogger Bernadine said...

Alisa, this post has blessed me today. I love this quote...

"I don't want to be on my deathbed with stomach full of the world. I want more of God in my life."

Thank you for always encouraging us to go deeper in Him.

4:20 PM  
Blogger Leah Adams said...

Alisa,

Thanks so much for adding my Bible study into your sidebar. I've added your name into the drawing for a free copy. That will take place in a few weeks.

Leah

5:55 PM  
Anonymous Julie@comehaveapeace said...

Alisa, this post is right on and just really describes life today. There's that deceptive voice from the world and other people that "we'll be missing out on something," (sounds like what Eve heard). So true that God's Word and ways are totally satisfying. Yes, more honey!

6:05 PM  
Blogger Karen Lange said...

Good post! We live in an age so saturated by things to do and see. Quiet time before the Lord is hard to come by if we let it consume us. Thanks for sharing. :)
Blessings,
Karen

7:47 PM  
Blogger Kim@stuffcould.... said...

You always touch me, through your post. I do believe we are bombarded with info....needing to eat the locust.
kim

9:14 PM  
Blogger My Mad World said...

Hi Alisa~

I love this post! It is so true about having to shut out the bad things that can so easily influence us.

Locusts and honey. I love that God is the sweet sweet honey!

Love your post! Have to go check out the article now.

9:19 PM  
Blogger Connie said...

Absolutely!!

"We are bombarded with the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. We have so much information streaming into our minds that we can't hear above the noise."

Wonderful truth spoken here Alisa, so many voices in our heads. Quiet them all, turn away from them and hear The Voice of GOD.

8:26 AM  
Blogger The Unknowngnome said...

I come here to eat locusts and honey maturing from milk to meat.

Be still and know that I am God...

9:45 AM  
Blogger May said...

What a wonderful polished presentation of locusts and honey. God bless.

10:37 AM  
Blogger Deborah Ann said...

Very interesting! I never looked at locusts and honey in that light before.

I totally hear you about discerning God's voice. Honestly, for a while there I thought only my pastor could hear from God. But God has been talking big time, and I suspect He wants us to hear Him for ourselves!

4:32 PM  
Blogger lioneagle said...

Hi Alisa -

This piece is so on point. You hit a bulls-eye.

Thank you

6:22 PM  
Blogger Susan J. Reinhardt said...

Hi Alisa -

Love this post!

I have to guard against partaking of so much good that I miss God's best. No matter how technologically advanced we are, there are still only 24 hours in a day.

Blessings,
Susan :)

8:21 PM  
Blogger Karen said...

Another great post Alisa! Thanks!

10:34 PM  
Blogger Toyin O. said...

This comment has been removed by the author.

7:14 AM  
Blogger Toyin O. said...

Hi Alisa,

Love the analogy of Locust and honey. If eating honey is what it takes to become the greatest man born of woman as Jesus called John, then I want more honey and locust too. I hear what you are saying about what this generation feed their eyes, ears, and mind. We should certainly be careful with what we watch, read, and who we listen too as believers. People that hear from God have learned to shut out all other voices.

Have a great day!

7:16 AM  
Blogger Jeanette Levellie said...

Wow. I never thought before of the spiritual significance of locusts and honey! What wisdom.

I quit watching TV about 25 years ago, and it has made a huge difference in my life. If important news occurs, we ALWAYS hear about it, but not the politically-biased, news anchor version.

Thanks for an insightful post, dear.

7:53 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Wow! Alisa! An incredible buffet of bugs for thought! : ) I truly desire the honey of God's Word and you really delved deeply and wrote a beautiful post.
I, too, am simplifying my life that He is the One Who is near and He is the One I hear.
Thank you so, ~ linda

5:25 PM  
Blogger Penelope said...

I often feel like I need a filter for what is around me! This is a great post.

10:35 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Sometimes following God's plan feels like eating Locusts (which John did in the desert), but, what I have decided to do during my recent sojourn in the desert, is to find the joy in it - even though it is not a joyful place - and God has shown me, He will bless me(honey). It always amazes me how my friens like you always have a word that follows up God's message to me:) And, life is sweeter for it!

Your discussion made me think of the lines from the song "Holy and Annointed One":
"Your name is like honey on my lips
Your Spirit like water to my soul
Your Word is a lamp unto my feet
Jesus, I love You, I love You"

Be blessed this week!

10:26 AM  
Blogger Debbie said...

I think you are so completely correct that we have to cut out so much of the noise and pollution in our lives to truly hear what is important! Great post.

11:22 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Beautiful post. It is so easy to get caught up in the business of our lives. So happy that He is patient and always waiting. Reminds me of the father in the Prodigal Son....just patiently waiting and gazing at the road, waiting for the return of his wayward son.

11:12 AM  
Blogger Lacey said...

i loved this. I finally found a study I want to do. Stepping Up by Beth Moore. I need to be focusing my life more on God and not on all the other things that effect my decisions.

8:53 PM  
Blogger Patrinas Pencil said...

Oh, I hear you! Right on!! Being my age - I have 4 grandchildren and the eldest is 13 - I see the destruction of the world's techo age on our families and our children. It has saddened me for a long while. I didn't even have internet or cable TV until a year ago when I started my blog. I blog only because I needed to be connected in this otherwise isolated season of my life.

I'm a dreamer and I journal my dreams which keeps me deep in thot with my Jesus and the Holy Spirit's voice and revelation. I can sit for hours just writing - reading the bible and researching His nightime communications with me. This is the Joy of not being connected to the world in the overwhelming ways that society has succumbed to. But I can't see me eating locusts! I hate looking at them - ugh! Seriously.

I love this post! Good for you, Alisa. I'm so proud of you.

Patrina <")>><
warrior bride in boots

12:13 AM  
Anonymous Alex Marestaing said...

Finally have some time to read your latest post :) My wife and I were just talking to our kids about this topic on Wednesday night. Silence, for long enough to hear God's voice, is such a lost art. With video games, cell phones etc. our attention spans have gone out the window. God speaks to us, but we need to be listening. Great post.

5:23 PM  
Anonymous cheryl said...

Hi Alisa,

What a wonderful message! Maybe I should try and change my diet. Bugs and Honey makes a "lekker" combination. Get rid of the tv [i love the cooking channel, some news, sport,etc], magazines and books. I'm not a cell phone fan at all. I do have one though that I only use if I have to. But, I must get rid of all the clutter so that I can listen to God's voice more clearly. Great teaching!

Do have a blessed week.
Cheryl

1:30 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

A Christian friend of mine once told me that our culture in this country has gone from neurotic to psychotic--and I agree with him. Particularly when I see such a lack of manners and respect for others. We're caught up in rushing through life. We need to slow down and contemplate The Good Word.

10:01 AM  
Blogger Glory to God said...

Alisa -

Wow, food for thought...pun intended. Okay, I'm not the funniest. But you do have a very good point. We do spend too much time allowing the influences of the world clog our minds.

I'm learning more and more that there is a delicate balance in life. Like you said, "I don't believe any one of these things is wrong, but too much exposure to information is causing our brains to become overweight and our spirits to starve."

What I think we need is balance. However, when it comes to God and His influence, we can never get enough. That's the problem. God gives us so much to enjoy, but we lose sight of the One who gave us the stuff to enjoy. What we need to be craving is more of Him!

This is an excellent post. I think I would have a hard time eating locusts, but definitely want more of the honey.

God bless!

10:55 PM  
Blogger Sherrie said...

Alisa,
Another thought provoking post. Thank you. I always thought the buzzing I was hearing was the world chattering at me. Perhaps I need to reconsider.
Thank you for your faithfulness pointing us to God.

9:57 PM  
Blogger vonimoller said...

Very true hey. We ARE BOMBARDED with mass information and somedays i really do long to walk in loose robes tending sheep so i can be more with God. I feel so free when I'm with God, if that makes any sense to you.

Sorry I've been quiet but for some strange reason your blog disappeared from my mobile feed and reading your fb status the other day i thought gee i miss Alisa's writing... So just readded you

7:16 PM  

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