Dear Readers, as we begin a new year I have it in my heart to dive into the word of God with more purpose than ever before. I felt impelled to share this column again as a reminder to myself and hopefully bring a smile to your face …
When my husband was growing up his mother would always bake homemade cinnamon rolls for their family on Christmas morning. So with her passing many years ago, I continued on with this tradition at our home.
For several years I had been using a recipe that worked well for me, but one year I decided to try something new. (I can envision experienced bakers shaking their heads! Lol!)
I was going to shape the rolls into a Christmas Tree design and decorate it with festive colors. Well, I read the recipe which was very similar to mine, and pretty simple, and I even watched the video that accompanied it!!!! It looked so good in the picture! What a wonderful surprise for my family!
So at 5am on Christmas morning I began to create the masterpiece, but I soon discovered that I had purchased the wrong kind of yeast. The recipe called for “Rapid Rise” and I had purchased the regular one.
Did you know there is a “Yeast Hotline?” (Lol!)
I didn’t speak to a live person, but they did have instructions on how to make the regular yeast work.
Well, apparently I did something wrong in the process because the rolls did not rise in one hour, or even two. In fact, they were not light and airy looking, instead they became hard and heavy! They looked like miserable little Scrooge’s all compacted together in soldier formation!
The clock was ticking, we had several hungry guests arriving soon, and my hubby kept popping his head in the kitchen every 5 minutes asking, “How’s it going?”
Finally, I gave up and tossed them in the oven and hoped for the best. Twenty five minutes later the”hockey puck’s” were done, and so was I.
Quickly, I lathered them in cream cheese frosting, adding layers of decorations and served them with a smile.
They were just awful!! Of course, my family was forgiving, and I tried to laugh it off by mournfully singing “I killed the yeast on Christmas Day… the old familiar taste has gone astray – never again will it rise, so now I bow my head to cry …” Lol!
My hubby usually finishes them off during the week, savoring them down to the last morsel, but I voluntarily tossed this batch on day two promising to replace them.
Well, I always try to ask the Lord what I can learn from my mistakes, and this time I believe He showed me how this is a good analogy about keeping the Word of God in our hearts.
You know, years ago I met a woman who told me that she had read the whole Bible when she first got saved, and that’s all she needed. She insisted that reading it one time would last her whole life.
But the Word teaches us that “faith comes by hearing…” not “heard.”
Even if I have read it before, the word of God is alive and active, it is inspired by a Person, the Holy Spirit, Who is constantly teaching us, and revealing things through His word for the children of God. So that we can learn and grow in the knowledge of Him to ensure a vibrant and thriving relationship, even if we have hardened our hearts at times, we can always go back to His word and let hope arise.
If I’m struggling in an area of my life, the word of God encourages me and brings peace and strengthens me. The Word guides me and corrects me, but most of all, the word of God is His declaration of His good intentions toward us.
A recipe of love in which He left nothing out and He won’t change it up.
His word is perfection! Jesus lived a perfect life for imperfect mankind!
So even when we make a mess of things, the word of God is our “Hotline!” And Christ HAS RISEN, so we will always reach a live Person.
Have a Blessed, Safe, and Prosperous New Year!
“My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the.midst of your heart; For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh.” Proverbs 4:20-22
“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” Joshua 1:8
“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than a two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intent of the heart.” Heb. 4:12
“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17
(2 Peter 1:21; Jeremiah 29:11; Hebrew 13:8; James 1:17 NKJV. )
Contact Brenda Groves at: bkgroves1996@yahoo.com
