This blog entry was written by Dawn. I have known her for many years. I consider Dawn and her family as dear friends and fellow servants of the Lord. They are members of Mount Zion Road Church and most importantly, they are faithful followers of our Lord and King, Jesus Christ. I am thankful that she was willing to allow me to post this entry on my website. The devotion is both meaningful and encouraging. I pray that you find her words to be a blessing as you read. To God be the glory!
You know how you go to a get together and someone brought a food item that you really like. You go back for seconds, you tell people around you how much you enjoy it. And because you enjoy it so much, you need the recipe because you absolutely must make this dish so you can enjoy again! So you have to find out who made this dish so you can ask them for the recipe. It’s a compliment when people ask for your recipe—-you know someone enjoyed what you shared and it had a positive effect.
In Sunday School this past spring, we had a discussion that resulted in a comment about a recipe. I honestly can’t remember exactly what we were talking about. We often have good discussions in SS. But the essence of the comment is our lives should reflect our love for Christ, so much so that people want our recipe. They want to know what sets us apart, what ingredients we’re using. Life isn’t easy—we know it is full of hills and valleys. The beauty of traversing life is knowing who is leading us and how we can reflect Him during the hills and valleys. In our words. In our actions. Trusting when we don’t understand, worshipping when we feel sadness and disappointment, and crying and kneeling beside the knee of our Father. Praising because God is sovereign and good through it all. Confident that He will use our random ingredients to create a masterpiece.
What if our attempt at the recipe doesn’t turn out? We undercook it, overcook it, forget a seasoning. Do we give up? No, alot of times you might contact the person to ask them how they make their specialty. You go to the source. You ask questions and learn from your mistakes. The same is true in our faith journey. Some days our recipe will shine and many will want it. Other days, our recipe may be burnt or feel ruined, and it seems like no one wants it. How do we improve the dish? Practice and study. You study the ingredients and the instructions. You ask questions about what you don’t understand and you make the dish again.
Someday, our dish will be absolutely perfect. But until that day, keep studying the word, seeking God, and – as it says in 2 Peter 1 keep adding to your faith.
2 Peter 1:5-11 (NIRV)
So you should try very hard to add goodness to your faith. To goodness, add knowledge. 6 To knowledge, add the ability to control yourselves. To the ability to control yourselves, add the strength to keep going. To the strength to keep going, add godliness. 7 To godliness, add kindness for one another. And to kindness for one another, add love. 8 All these things should describe you more and more. They will make you useful and fruitful as you know our Lord Jesus Christ better. 9 But what if these things don’t describe someone at all? Then that person can’t see very well. In fact, they are blind. They have forgotten that their past sins have been washed away.
10 My brothers and sisters, try very hard to show that God has appointed you to be saved. Try hard to show that he has chosen you. If you do everything I have just said, you will never trip and fall. 11 You will receive a rich welcome into the kingdom that lasts forever. It is the kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Corby Shuey 