Sting of the Hornet | Previous Challenge Entry

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TITLE: Sting of the Hornet | Previous Challenge Entry
By Elaine Hemingway
04/13/17
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The African hornet is black bodied, long legged and aggressive by nature. A favourite place to build its nest is near your front door, and you don’t want to antagonise it with insecticide – its sting is painful. In other parts of the world, a hornet is a tiny critter, unobtrusive when alone, but an invasive irritant developing into a major threat when in a swarm.

1 Corinthians 15:55 asks, “Death, where is your victory? Death, where is your sting?”

Many people as they grow older build up a fear of death that relentless harbinger of our destiny. As Christians, we are not always immune to the fear, and I remember a dear friend who lived up to her 90th year afraid that when she died she may not have lived a good enough life to be accepted into Heaven. Her knowledge had been based on commercial devotionals rather than the sure Word of Truth, the Bible, which covers every eventuality. She would listen to assurances but still worry. She needed to know that God had sent the hornet ahead. The world is at our front door, wanting to reason with us, confuse us, build on or fears, but the world can be as invasive as a swarm of hornets.

Moses was 120 years old when the Israelites were at last about to enter the Promised Land. Joshua and Caleb had seen the land and proclaimed it as fruitful. They were happy with God’s promise that it was theirs for the taking. The other Israelites were fearful, so God spoke through Moses and said, “I will send my terror ahead of you, and throw into confusion every nation you encounter. I will make all your enemies turn their backs and run. I will send the hornet ahead of you to drive the Hivites, Canaanites and Hittites out of your way.” (Exodus 23:28)

He goes on to say that He will not do it immediately, but little by little.

So it is with us as we journey to our promised land, with one of our enemies being fear. Satan knows it and exploits it. But if our life is a journey, death is the vehicle to carry us into the Lord’s presence.

The hornet has gone before and how painful is its sting to satan who knows his own attempts to sting have been foiled. He feeds our fears but we need to remember that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” (Proverbs 1:7) This is the healthiest fear we can encompass.

God the Father says in Isaiah 43:1 “But no, this is what the Lord says – He who created you, O Jacob He who formed you, O Israel; fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.”

For those of us who heard and responded to the call, the hornet went before and stung satan when Jesus, from the cross, cried, “It is finished.”

Death is conquered. Eternal life in our Promised Land awaits.

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