BAKING A CAKE

“We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28 NRSV)

The story is told of a very ill little boy who was telling his Grandma how "everything" was going wrong -- school was too hard, family problems, his severe pain, just all the hardships he was going through. Meanwhile, Grandma was baking a cake. She asked the child if he would like a snack, which of course he did.

"Here. Have some cooking oil."

"Yuck," said the boy.

"How about a couple of raw eggs?"

"Gross, Grandma."

"Would you like some flour then?  Or, maybe baking soda?"

"Grandma, those are all yucky!"

Grandma replied: "Yes, Sweetheart, those things seem bad all by themselves. But, when they are put together in the right way, they make a wonderfully delicious cake! God works the same way. Many times we wonder why He could let us go through such bad and difficult times, but God knows that, when He takes those things and puts them all in His order, they always work for good! We just have to trust Him and, eventually the yucky stuff will be used to make something wonderful in our lives!"

God will work all things for our good if we but love and trust Him!

– Author Unknown

#6362

WORSHIP AND STUDY GO TOGETHER

Now we must not worship without study for ignorant worship is of limited value and can be dangerous.  We may develop "a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge" (Romans 10:2) and do great harm to ourselves and others.  But worship must be added to study to complete the renewal of our mind through a willing absorption in the radiant Person who is worthy of all praise. 

Study without worship is also dangerous, and the people of Jesus constantly suffer from its effects, especially in academic settings.  To handle the things of God without worship is always to falsify them.  In worship we are ascribing greatness, goodness, and glory to God.  It is typical of worship that we put every possible aspect of our being into it, all of our sensuous, conceptual, active, and creative capacity…

Worship nevertheless imprints on our whole being the reality that we study.  The effect is a radical disruption of the powers of evil in us and around us. 

-- Dallas Willard (1935-2013) in “The Divine Conspiracy”

#6174

ALL Y’ALL ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”  (Matthew 5:14-16)

Jesus is speaking to His gathered disciples and reveals what life in the Kingdom should look like… It’s important first to note that the “you” in verse 14 is plural and would better be translated as “all y’all”. So while there are places where the Scripture speaks of us individually reflecting God’s glory in our unique way, here Jesus tells His disciples: “All Y’all” (collectively) are the light of the world.

Think of it this way. People who get lost in a dark cave have a greater chance of finding their way out if someone lights and holds a single candle. However, they have a much greater chance of finding their way out if a thousand people who are spread all over the cave light and hold candles…

So if we are interpreting Jesus’ words correctly, God’s plan to light up the dark world is to send His disciples into the world to shine His glory through good works done from a heart full of love.

A plain reading of Ephesians 2:10 “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” indicates that God handcrafted you intending to use your life to share a unique part of His glory with the world through you… So we show God’s glory to the world as we express and reflect the goodness of God to the world through the good works He commands us to do in His name.

To return to the dark cave illustration, it’s as if God deploys a thousand people all holding their single candles spread into the different parts of the cave people are lost in and collectively uses those candles to draw an arrow of light to point to the way of escape and rescue. The creativity and wonder of it all takes my breath away.

May you let Christ shine through you as you do His work in the world. 

-- Rev. Tim Carson, former pastor at Estero Church, Florida

#6082