Today Daily Devotional

You yourselves are God’s temple and . . . God’s Spirit dwells in your midst. . . .

— 1 Corinthians 3:16

A few years ago, a strong wind toppled one of the beehives behind our barn. The hive had been thriving, and it was five boxes tall. The hive had stuck together well. Amazingly, it didn’t break open till it hit the ground. “Bee glue”—propolis— gets the credit for that. But, sadly, the hive was destroyed, and its bees quickly scattered.In his letters to the Christ-followers in Corinth, Paul gets personal and pours out his heart to these new believers. They were going through some stormy and threatening times together, and that was surely predictable. Starting off as a new community in Christ can be hard, and as their pastor and mentor, Paul did all that he could to hold this body of Christ together. They especially needed to be reminded of their identity together— whose they were and who held them together.Propolis is an amazing glue produced by worker bees. This sticky glue is used to fill small gaps to seal and protect the hive from bacteria and viruses. As propolis ages, it strengthens and holds the hive structure together.As Christ-followers, our “glue” is the Holy Spirit, who “dwells in [our] midst,” and together we are God’s temple!In what ways are you standing tall together in the Spirit with other Christ-followers in your community as you worship God and serve him?

Thank you, God, for your grace that enriches the followers of Jesus in every way. Hold us together by your Spirit as a unified temple in service to you, to each other, and to everyone around us. Amen.

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

— Acts 2:42

Have you heard of “personal space”? It’s described as the amount of space a person feels is needed in order to relate to and live well with others. Personal space can differ by culture, situation, relationship, and personal preference. For an average Westerner, personal space is about two feet on all sides. Does this seem right and healthy to you? In some other cultures, the distance can be a bit less.Have you ever heard of “bee space”? Specifically, that is the space honeybees leave between combs in a hive. It’s about 1/4 to 3/8 inch (6 - 9 mm)—a delicate balance of “enough room to move freely but not too much empty space,” according to sources on beekeeping. Bee space allows two bees to pass each other back-to- back and makes it possible for thousands of bees to live and work closely together. Smaller spaces are filled with propolis (“bee glue”), and larger spaces are packed with unneeded “burr comb.”Bees are at their best for life in the hive when they are in close quarters with each other. It’s a matter of instinct, not choice.People have more choices in defining personal space. In Acts 2:42 the Spirit of God draws us into a “good and pleasant” space for being and thriving together as followers of Christ. Choose and commit yourself to living in this good space with each other.

Holy Spirit, guide us to live in unity with our brothers and sisters in Christ. May we grow together faithfully in you so that others may come to know you also. Amen.

We are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.

— 1 Corinthians 3:9

Honeybees are great builders. Inside their hive they make honeycombs consisting of hundreds of six-sided cells. These are the basic building blocks of beehives. The amazing geometry of these cells maximizes storage space while minimizing the wax needed for a stable structure. Beeswax is an ingenious blend of nectar, pollen, saliva, and other ingredients produced by worker bees to form the walls of the cells, which keep their shape in both heat and cold. While these cells are used mainly to store honey and some pollen and nectar, some of the cells are also used as nurseries for eggs and larvae.Hive building is a tribute to the bees’ ability to work well together. Each bee takes up its role in the building process.A tragic contrast to this is our struggle as human beings to build caring communities. Jesus came to reverse our faulty construction habits by reconnecting people to his Father and to one another. Yet we often fail to practice what he taught us. In place of humbly serving with each other in caring, harmonious, constructive ways, for example, the Christian community gets distracted by competing and comparing and by excluding and neglecting one another.Are you a co-worker with God in building a community with others? In what ways is God calling you from self-service to serving him with others?

Thank you, God, for the firm foundation you have made for us in Christ. By your Spirit, direct us to care for each other as we serve to build up the body of Christ. Amen.

Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.

— 1 Corinthians 12:12

People who count honeybees estimate that there are 20,000 to 60,000 bees in any given hive. Yet there is one hive. The hive has three basic kinds of bees: the queen, workers, and drones. Yet there is one hive. All of the bees work together by instinct to function as an interdependent community, like a living organism.The Christ-followers at Corinth, estimated to be about 40 to 150 people, were not acting as “one.” This multiethnic group of recent converts included a mixture of educated and working-class people, rich and poor, and they struggled to care for and show God’s love to one another. The letter Paul wrote to them describes a divided, individualistic, selfish, and proud gaggle of believers. At best, they revealed that they were many parts struggling to become one body.Similarly, our world today does little to encourage us to believe and act like we are an organic, interdependent community— one body. Individualism, privilege, possessions, and self-gratification are often the altars at which people worship. These behaviors make being one body most difficult.Christ-followers can be one body only “in Christ.” This is not instinctual. It takes heart change and the hard and humble work of love. Will you pray and work humbly to love and serve with others who make up the body of Christ?

Lord Jesus, inspire us all to work toward the unity of your one body. Change our hearts and energize us to love and build up others as we serve with you. Amen.

“As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

— John 9:4-5

My favorite time at our beehives is around sunset. Gatherer bees are coming back to the hive. If I look closely, I can see the bulging pollen packs on their hind legs, holding the fruit of their labor. Amazing! These worker bees have been busy since sunrise—making the most of their opportunities to gather pollen and nectar. With darkness coming—and eventually the dark and cold of winter— the opportunity to work will end. Bees work and make honey “as long as it is day.”In John 9, Jesus talks about being “the light of the world,” and he warns his disciples about a kind of darkness that is coming. In this chapter we see Jesus bring light to a blind man’s eyes in the face of growing opposition and looming darkness. Jesus says,” As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me.” And did you notice that Jesus includes his followers in the work he is doing?The rest of the story in John 9 gets very dark. We can observe a similar darkness in the world around us as well. Yet Jesus, the light of the world, keeps working to bring sight to the blind.In your coming and going, what are your opportunities to shine? How can you make the most of your opportunities to spread the light of Jesus?

Lord Jesus, live in us and through us to bring your light into the darkness of this world. May the fruit of your goodness and truth shine brightly as we make the most of the opportunities we have. In your name, Amen.

“I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.”

— John 10:16

As a keeper of honeybees, I’ve grown a bit narrowminded. I’ve become partial to honeybees even though I know there are lots of others—like bumblebees, sweat bees, and carpenter bees—to name a few. Recently I learned there are also mason bees, which use mud to make nests is small cavities. There are actually over 20,000 species of bees all around the world. Mind-boggling!This could lead us to wonder about people groups too. Estimates for the number of people groups in the world range from about 11,000 to 24,000. Did you know that?Jesus knew about other people groups—"other sheep” besides the people into which he was born. Jesus, the good shepherd, could not and would not be content in rescuing just one people group. He came to bring God’s salvation to all the people groups throughout the world.In my thinking about honeybees, I need to remember that all of the bees in God’s creation are treasured. And when it comes to people, we need to remember that each one is made in the image of God. Jesus came to rescue God’s children from every people group in the whole human race.In what ways can we show others that they are precious in God’s sight?

Jesus, thank you for being the good shepherd. Thank you for rescuing us from the curse of sin and death. Guide us to pray for and work with others whom you have come to rescue as well. In your name, Amen.

Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.

— Ephesians 6:18

As a child, I was taught to pray a simple bedtime prayer. It was a “repeat-after-me” prayer, and it started like this: “Now I lay me down to sleep . . .” After memorizing it, I was encouraged to add other requests— mostly for sick family members or friends or about other concerns. Learning to pray with a parent was a good start for which I am grateful.Over the years, my prayers have expanded and matured by fits and starts through the examples of others, prayer courses, and readings—and most profoundly by prayers in the Bible. Still, my prayers are often limited. I am still a child learning to pray. It has been a humbling path.Near the close of his life, Paul urged Christ-followers to pray “on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.” “Keep on praying for all the Lord’s people,” he said, and “pray also for me.” These words came to mind while I was reading a book that included a prayer for the “Keeping of Bees.” Looking back, I realize that I’ve often overlooked this step in my caring for bees. No prayer is too small. Here is another lesson from the Spirit about praying on all occasions.Are you praying in the Spirit? In what ways are your prayers maturing or being expanded? For what and whom are you being led to pray?

“Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.” Continue the good and perfect teaching of your Word in our lives, Lord. In the strong name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

The whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.

— Romans 8:22

We might think that beekeeping should be easy: get some bees, put them in a hive, and let them do their thing, right? But a seasoned beekeeper will tell you that it’s never easy. Hive beetles, varroa mites, wax moths, and foul brood disease are some of the more common threats to bees and their hives. Pesticides, pollution, habitat loss, and other threats add to the mix. Clearly the beauty and harmony of God’s creation has been blighted. Honeybees are cursed along with the rest of creation. Bees need help and restoration.In one of the most mysterious and tragic chapters of the Bible, a crafty and deceitful enemy slithers into God’s good garden to subvert God’s desires for his creation. Human beings—meant to reflect God’s goodness—are seduced and infected. Sickness and death invade our homes and hearts.The curse saps life from our bodies and souls, unless someone will come to save us.We and the bees are still here, groaning but alive and kicking. This is proof of God’s stubborn and strong love for us and for his whole creation. Christians are being brought from death to life by being united with Christ Jesus in his death and resurrection. And we, “who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our . . . redemption. . . .”The curse is being reversed. Thanks be to God!

Thank you, Jesus, for coming to reverse the curse of sin and death. May our hope in you energize us to wait patiently for our and all of creation’s redemption. Amen.

Since you excel in everything . . . see that you also excel in this grace of giving.

— 2 Corinthians 8:7

When we installed two new “nucs” of bees in our hive boxes last spring, both seemed ready to become strong colonies. After a few weeks, one hive seemed to be doing better than the other, but we were not worried. Both were still growing and improving.During summer—when bees build up and increase their honey stores—we kept adding boxes to the stronger hive. By comparison, the weaker hive seemed to languish. A more careful inspection toward the end of summer revealed that the queen of the weaker hive was gone! A hive cannot survive without its queen, since she is the only bee that lays eggs to produce offspring. So our neglect in watching over that hive led to its death.The missionary pastor Paul noticed strengths and weaknesses in the churches he served. Were the Christ-followers in Corinth somewhat stung by the comparison Paul made in today’s passage? They excelled in many things, but Paul had to point out that they could be more gracious in giving. Failing to give generously for the needs of brothers and sisters in Christ was a serious flaw that could lead to their decline.Christians today do well to be concerned about the decline and disbanding of churches. Apathy and stinginess can be destructive. The good news is that when God’s people are stirred to “excel in the grace of giving,” the community of believers can thrive.

Lord Jesus, you became poor for our sake so that we might become rich in your grace. Live in and through us so that we may give graciously, as you have taught us. Amen.

“From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands.”

— Acts 17:26

Our reading from Psalm 104 paints a picture of all God’s provisions for the creatures in his wonderful world. But when we look around us, it’s easy to find hungry people and other creatures without shelter or food. Homelessness—for beleaguered people, habitat-deprived creatures, or even hiveless bees—is not the way it’s supposed to be.Honeybees have lived in a variety of homes over the course of time. A hollow log in a sheltered area can provide a great home for bees. People have also provided homes or hives for them. In earlier times a pot or basket would work well. Beehives for producing honey today are commonly made of stackable boxes with removable frames.Last spring, my son and I installed two small colonies of honeybees in our bee boxes. The process is fairly simple. We transferred frames from a couple of “nucs” (nucleus colonies of bees) into our boxes. The bees quickly settled into their new home.As a family, my wife and children and I have lived in many different places, and God has supplied all that we have needed. We find strength in knowing that God has been with us in all the places where we have been called to live.From the abundance God has given, may we open our hearts and hands to help people who need a home today.

Lord, thank you for providing us with homes and so much more. Fill us with gratitude and generosity, that we may share with people in need. Amen.