A Strange Place for Honey

The lion that on Sampson roared,

And thirsted for his blood;

With honey afterwards was stored,

And furnished him with food.

 

Believers, as they pace along,

With many lions meet;

But gather sweetness from the strong,

And from the eater, meat.

 

The lions rage and roar in vain,

For Jesus is their shield;

Their losses prove a certain gain,

Their troubles comfort yield.

 

The world and Satan join their strength,

To fill their souls with fears;

But crops of joy they reap at length,

From what they sow in tears.

 

Afflictions make them love the word,

Stir up their hearts to prayer;

And many precious proofs afford,

Of their Redeemer’s care.

 

The lions roar but cannot kill,

Then fear them not, my friends,

They bring us, though against their will,

The honey JESUS sends.

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This is one of my favorite hymns that Newton has written.  Through a lifetime of hardships and disappointments Newton understood this hymn by experience.  Certainly he was living in a time of “honey” when he wrote this.  But he knew full well the experience of lions roaring and “Satan and the world” attempting to fill his soul with fear. 

It is not only experience that caused Newton to write this.  It is also the fact that the truth in this hymn is the testimony of Scripture and countless saints through the ages.  The enemies of God bring to us “though against their will, the honey Jesus sends”. 

How remarkable is the grace and sovereignty of God that He can, and does, use even enemies of the gospel and even Satan himself to richly bless us with the sweetness of Christ.  So, no matter your situation today know that the Lord can gather “from the eater, meat”.