Perished
The gardener observed that there were fewer bees in his garden, to be busily buzzing about, happily feeding in the warmth of spring, wafting about on the soft breezes, and happily feasting upon the vast array of flowers and then to be pollinating them also, to bring forth much fruit, a bee hive is not practical, but then a bumble Bee Nest Box, being small, can easily be made and thus make a cozy home for a small colony to flourish, and to therefore provide a better crop in the garden for the gardener and his family. A search on line found some plans, timber was purchased and two bumblebee nest boxes were made, and placed carefully and strategically in the orchard, all painted up nicely with a brick on the roof to prevent a gust of wind from blowing it off. In the nesting chamber, there was a layer of wood chips, some shredded paper and some pea straw cut short, some potting mix as a carpet in the entrance chamber along with a bottle cap full of water, and a bottle cap full of sugar water, as food and drink for the incoming queen, an inviting banquet and an invitation to feast, to stay and make this her home, to refresh her after her hours of searching and journeying, to now arrive at her new home.
All there was to do was to patiently wait for a bumblebee queen to search out and to find these safe, warm and protective, well stocked and laid out homes, with a welcoming snack, a warm, dry and safe place to set up home. The last of winter suddenly warmed to spring, and through the open window flew a queen bumble bee, searching for a nesting place, but in childlike exuberance, the old gardener forgot to close the window, and in trying to contain it, and to then introduce it to a safe new home, it found the window ajar and flew away. It was later seen in the garden, still searching vainly for a safe place to make her home and to create a colony, and was last seen flying off out into the open country and the fields beyond, gone.
The very next day, and for a few days afterwards, winter returned once more, cold, wet and dismal, but as this was so very early in the blossom season, then there was still minimal flowering plants blossoming, and nectar supplies were minimal, so out there, lost cold and starving, far from the warmth and safety of a homely nesting colony box, the queen bumble bee shivered and huddled down as best she could as yet another chilly night drew on, and as the morning light vainly tried to warm the earth, it lighted upon the still and chilled form of the queen, her search was over, her vain search had failed her to find that which was there so very close by, that which she longed for and searched for, but in the night she had perished, chilled and starving, with no safe place of shelter, lost far from a place where there was safety, warmth and food stores located. Much like the “Prodigal Son” story, the queen had wandered far and wide, and had missed the fathers house, that place of warmth, safety and nourishment, so are we also aimlessly wandering, vainly searching, looking in all the wrong places, wearing ourselves out darting here and there, when life, love and protection is right there close by and so very near, but we somehow never find it. Matthew 7:13-14 “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide [is] the gate, and broad [is] the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait [is] the gate, and narrow [is] the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” The queen bumblebee never did find that little open door, the welcoming supplies, safe and strong and warm, so have you found “The Door,” Jesus Christ? Why have you not lingered long in his protective, warm, comforting embrace? When we eventually find this “Real Life,” we can safely come in and make in him our home, we can from then on, always come and go with peace and safety, returning from each pollination trip to warmth and protection, and to a safe place to flee to when the chills and storms of life blow through, we forever remain safe “In Christ,” or we can also just choose to go it alone and do it our way, and risk perishing like the bumblebee queen, chilled to the core, starving and wet, far from the safety of the nest boxes, perishing and lost out there in the cold night of sin.
There is an old Hymn that goes like this; “I’ve wandered far away from God, Now I’m coming home; The paths of sin too long I’ve trod, Lord, I’m coming home. Coming home, coming home, never more to roam; Open wide thine arms of love, Lord, I’m coming Home.” Hebrews 12:14-17 “Follow peace with all [men], and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble [you], and thereby many be defiled; lest there [be] any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.”
The queen bumblebee sought long, but what she so diligently searched for was actually right there close by, but she never did find it, and like Esau “for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.” Jesus is standing right there close by, everything you could ever wish for, plus lots lots more, so will you respond? Matthew 11:28 “Come unto me, all [ye] that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 [Adapted] “Come into my nesting box, all [ye] that labour and are heavy laden, and I will provide you food, warmth, safety and rest.” Or like our queen bumblebee, we can fly off and try to do it our own way and in the end find that, Jeremiah 8:20 “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved” so come into the “Nesting Box,” and be safe and saved.
