The Old Woman’s Cake.

And old woman had her minister over to visit with her for some afternoon tea. “Why don’t you say Grace, Reverend?” she said.

The minster smiled, and prayed as follows… 

“Oh Lord. You know that I don’t care much for full fat milk or butter. And you know too that I don’t care much for eggs. And you know full well that I don’t really like flour. But when those things get all mixed together and baked, I really do like cake. So Lord, help us to remember that when things come my way that I might not like, and when my life gets mixed up, help me just to relax and wait until you’re finished mixing so that I can look forward to that delicious warm cake. Amen”.

It’s an innocent little story that is meant to illustrate a point about waiting on God. But it reminded me of something else that happened to me long ago.

Many years ago I helped a man move some equipment to a different city 100 miles away. While we were there a woman that the man knew fed us with some cake and tea. The cake was so thickly baked that it resembled soft toffee. More like a chewy Christmas Pudding than a loaf. But we ate it heartily. It would’ve been rude not to.

An hour later I was still licking the remnants of it from my teeth. And the food was sitting in my stomach like a solid lump of plasticine. We talked about that cake for some hours afterwards. Indeed, weeks later we were still reminiscing about that cake.

Recently, while I was thinking over some teachings about the roles people have in a church, about people who give talks. People like youth workers, Sunday school teachers, etc., this wee made up story about the cake and the real story about the cake both came to my mind.

Speakers, preachers and teachers get a wee thought. They find some other wee thoughts that they can connect to the original one. And they gradually build up a little dialogue about their chosen subject. I do a very similar thing when I’m preparing these essays and blogs.

But, like the woman who baked the cake, people concentrate on the list of ingredients that come together to make the recipe. We like to have our wee tick boxes. Some people like to have their “three point sermon”. (There’s actually a book on the market called “1000 Sermons For Preachers And Teachers” and it gives a bible passage along with three suggested points of interest to talk about).

But, alas, far too many of us don’t allow time for the God’s Spirit to come into the mix and do His bit. We don’t spend time in prayer asking Jesus for His guidance and help. And this is true also about almost everything in our lives. Some of us ask God to answer our prayers and then we proceed to tell Him how we want it answered and how He should do it. And at no time do we ever consider what God’s will is in our process.

Our God is a loving God. But he is also a faithful God. He is methodical and precise in His workings. And He is sure in His out-workings.

Remember when the prophet Samuel first met a very young David?...

1^st Samuel 16v12 And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome. And the LORD said, “Arise, anoint him, for this is he.” v13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward.

However, many years would have to pass before David was to ascend the throne of Israel. And during that waiting time he would have a spear thrown at him by King Saul (1^st Samuel 19v10). He would have to flee and go into hiding in the caves at Adullam (1^st Samuel 22). And he would know a lot of difficulties and hardship before God’s will would come to pass.

And although David was anointed to be King over Israel it would be until many years later when the promise would come to fruition. We can read about it in 2^nd Samuel 2.

And this is the way God works in us. There is a time to sow and a time to reap. And in between those two times there is a time for patience and waiting. A time to trust God and praise Him. For that is what we have been truly called for.

Consider the instructions in the letter to the Hebrew christians…

Hebrews 13v15 Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God,

And while their praises reach up to God in His Heaven, His love and mercy reaches down into our lives and brings us closer to Him.

To the church at Philippi…

Philippians 1v11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

To the christians at Rome…

Romans 12v1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

So let us, like that wee fictional minister in the story, grow to learn that we have to wait on God. And we have to fill that waiting time with praise, prayer and bible reading.

Consider Paul’s instructions to the christians in the cities of Colossi and Philippi…

Colossians 3v17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him [Christ Jesus].

Philippians 2v13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. v14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,

Because if we don’t learn to wait in patience for God and allow His Grace and Mercy to have their way, then things will not be pleasant for us. And things will start to feel like that bread that I ate on the journey delivering equipment to another city.

Let the Lord have his way in your life everyday.
There’s no rest, there’s no peace,
Till the Lord has His way.
Put your life in His hand.
Rest secure in His plan.
Let the Lord, let the Lord have his way.

  

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