(Wednesday)
I love baking, and pies are my favorite. Thickening the fruit filling to the perfect consistency takes the right level of heat, the right ingredients, just enough stirring to keep from sticking, and a whole lot of patience. The delectable end result is always worth the time and effort – except when it’s not.
Recently, I became aware of a family overwhelmed by sickness and found myself in need of a pie to deliver. Out came my fruit, my thickening agent, several other ingredients, and a little less patience than usual. This pie was needed fairly soon so I had to move quickly with the preparation. The apples were peeled, sliced and sprinkled with just the right amount of cinnamon and brown sugar. The crust was perfect and ready to form the base and top. All that was left was to create a beautiful, tasty filling – substantial enough to set up quickly and slice by the evening meal. Onto the stove went the fruit, and the boiling process began.
Why was it taking so long? I should have had a beautifully thick concoction ready to spoon into the crust within a few minutes. This… whatever this was… was neither beautiful nor thick, and the cooking seemed to be taking much longer than usual. It didn’t even smell good. How can cooking apples, brown sugar and cinnamon smell anything other than yummy? I dipped in a spoon and was left with a bad taste in my mouth.
Finally, I had no choice but to give up my effort and zoom off to the bakery for a bought apple pie. This would not be considered my happiest moment, but the recipients were graciously accepting of my purchased offering. Back home, I realized the trouble. As it so happens, there is a marked difference between baking powder and baking soda, and neither one is the same as flour. My thickening agent was a mystery guest who had overstayed his welcome. My pie filling was tainted and had suffered a slow and painful death. By this time, my crust had dried out on the kitchen counter and was destined to join the filling in a fitting garbage burial. In my haste to bake, I had grabbed the wrong materials. What a waste.
When Jesus entered the Jerusalem Temple area, he immediately recognized a marked difference between what was being utilized and what should have been appropriate components of sacrifice and worship. In their haste to create something beneficial, the moneychangers had overstayed their welcome and Jesus was ready to throw them out. The Jewish people were accepting the service of exchanging coins, but it wasn’t the happiest of moments. In an effort to meet their goals, they were grabbing the wrong materials and trying to make a lovely gift to God. Their offerings, however, were tainted and left a bad taste in Jesus’ mouth. He considered their efforts to be a waste and fit only for the garbage.
How can I glorify God if I’m using the wrong ingredients? Materials like sarcasm, doubt, dishonesty, laziness – none of these is going to produce a delicious life worthy of gifting to the Savior of the world! During this season of Lent, when so many around me are making sacrifices, may I walk in a way that is pleasing to Jesus by fasting from poor life-ingredients.
Cooking for Jesus,
Pastor Beth
PRAYER FROM PSALM 84
God, teach me to seeks – to see – your dwelling place. Let that be my heartbeat: to behold your beauty in your sanctuary. Let my soul faint only in an effort to see your heavenly places. Anoint me with the joy of your constant presence. Your altar is home to the sparrow and swallow; let it be my home as well. Let me ever be singing your praise; let a song always be in my heart. Make our strength from you only, God. May our hearts be so close to you that they’re a one-way ticket to Zion which we can share with others. Please send rain to our deserts and valleys: make springs where there was only dust and waste. Each day, we go from strength to strength, empowered by you. Like monkey bars, we will trust you fully as we take the next bar of faith. Hear our prayers, now, always. Let them be full of praise to you only. We call you our shield; you call us anointed. Teach us to love your Heaven, to be future-minded with a now-impact. We’ve experienced the world’s poor version of love: please teach us that a day with you is better than any dream, person, or place. You are a sun, giving light and hope and direction. You are our shield, delivering us from temptation and disappointment. Make us walk uprightly, trusting you only. Amen.
KEY VERSES FROM TODAY’S SCRIPTURE READINGS
Psalm 84 – Those who put their strength in you are truly happy; pilgrimage is in their hearts.
Ezra 6 – And whatever is needed… let that be given to them day by day without fail so that they may offer pleasing sacrifices to the God of heaven and pray for the lives of the king and his sons.
Mark 11 – The chief priests and legal experts heard this and tried to find a way to destroy him. They regarded him as dangerous because the whole crowd was enthralled at his teaching.
For today’s full scripture readings, click here… https://www.divinestreet.org/lent-scripture.html
I love baking, and pies are my favorite. Thickening the fruit filling to the perfect consistency takes the right level of heat, the right ingredients, just enough stirring to keep from sticking, and a whole lot of patience. The delectable end result is always worth the time and effort – except when it’s not.
Recently, I became aware of a family overwhelmed by sickness and found myself in need of a pie to deliver. Out came my fruit, my thickening agent, several other ingredients, and a little less patience than usual. This pie was needed fairly soon so I had to move quickly with the preparation. The apples were peeled, sliced and sprinkled with just the right amount of cinnamon and brown sugar. The crust was perfect and ready to form the base and top. All that was left was to create a beautiful, tasty filling – substantial enough to set up quickly and slice by the evening meal. Onto the stove went the fruit, and the boiling process began.
Why was it taking so long? I should have had a beautifully thick concoction ready to spoon into the crust within a few minutes. This… whatever this was… was neither beautiful nor thick, and the cooking seemed to be taking much longer than usual. It didn’t even smell good. How can cooking apples, brown sugar and cinnamon smell anything other than yummy? I dipped in a spoon and was left with a bad taste in my mouth.
Finally, I had no choice but to give up my effort and zoom off to the bakery for a bought apple pie. This would not be considered my happiest moment, but the recipients were graciously accepting of my purchased offering. Back home, I realized the trouble. As it so happens, there is a marked difference between baking powder and baking soda, and neither one is the same as flour. My thickening agent was a mystery guest who had overstayed his welcome. My pie filling was tainted and had suffered a slow and painful death. By this time, my crust had dried out on the kitchen counter and was destined to join the filling in a fitting garbage burial. In my haste to bake, I had grabbed the wrong materials. What a waste.
When Jesus entered the Jerusalem Temple area, he immediately recognized a marked difference between what was being utilized and what should have been appropriate components of sacrifice and worship. In their haste to create something beneficial, the moneychangers had overstayed their welcome and Jesus was ready to throw them out. The Jewish people were accepting the service of exchanging coins, but it wasn’t the happiest of moments. In an effort to meet their goals, they were grabbing the wrong materials and trying to make a lovely gift to God. Their offerings, however, were tainted and left a bad taste in Jesus’ mouth. He considered their efforts to be a waste and fit only for the garbage.
How can I glorify God if I’m using the wrong ingredients? Materials like sarcasm, doubt, dishonesty, laziness – none of these is going to produce a delicious life worthy of gifting to the Savior of the world! During this season of Lent, when so many around me are making sacrifices, may I walk in a way that is pleasing to Jesus by fasting from poor life-ingredients.
Cooking for Jesus,
Pastor Beth
PRAYER FROM PSALM 84
God, teach me to seeks – to see – your dwelling place. Let that be my heartbeat: to behold your beauty in your sanctuary. Let my soul faint only in an effort to see your heavenly places. Anoint me with the joy of your constant presence. Your altar is home to the sparrow and swallow; let it be my home as well. Let me ever be singing your praise; let a song always be in my heart. Make our strength from you only, God. May our hearts be so close to you that they’re a one-way ticket to Zion which we can share with others. Please send rain to our deserts and valleys: make springs where there was only dust and waste. Each day, we go from strength to strength, empowered by you. Like monkey bars, we will trust you fully as we take the next bar of faith. Hear our prayers, now, always. Let them be full of praise to you only. We call you our shield; you call us anointed. Teach us to love your Heaven, to be future-minded with a now-impact. We’ve experienced the world’s poor version of love: please teach us that a day with you is better than any dream, person, or place. You are a sun, giving light and hope and direction. You are our shield, delivering us from temptation and disappointment. Make us walk uprightly, trusting you only. Amen.
KEY VERSES FROM TODAY’S SCRIPTURE READINGS
Psalm 84 – Those who put their strength in you are truly happy; pilgrimage is in their hearts.
Ezra 6 – And whatever is needed… let that be given to them day by day without fail so that they may offer pleasing sacrifices to the God of heaven and pray for the lives of the king and his sons.
Mark 11 – The chief priests and legal experts heard this and tried to find a way to destroy him. They regarded him as dangerous because the whole crowd was enthralled at his teaching.
For today’s full scripture readings, click here… https://www.divinestreet.org/lent-scripture.html