Since my mum taught me to bake as a child, I have enjoyed making tasty treats to share. With the rise of the internet it has allowed me to branch out from my trusty Betty Crocker Cookbook and learn to make an array of balanced meals and deserts. My personal method regarding new recipes is two-fold: the first time follow the recipe as precisely as possible before making any adjustments, and the second is always try out a recipe before serving it to guests. Even if I suspect there is too much of one ingredient or not enough of another, I find it necessary to establish a baseline according to the actual recipe so I can know if I have found a keeper or should move on.
One of the greatest compliments as a casual baker is when someone enjoys my offering enough to ask for the recipe. I have benefited greatly from people sharing recipes with me so I am happy to freely share the love. Some of the best recipes I have my mother was given by an old lady down the street named Ginger! I acknowledge people have different cooking and baking styles, but there is one common thing people do: they ask for a recipe based upon the finished product they enjoyed, and when they receive the recipe feel the need to alter it. There is no word I am aware of in the English language to describe this curious practice, but there should be. I am open to suggestions! :)
During a walk yesterday with my wife we discussed this and how people can form opinions about certain ingredients being "good" or "bad." There are arbitrary amounts we determine to be "too much" or some which seem too little; we make substitutions to cater to our particular tastes and diets. There is no problem with this! What I am pointing out is the human tendency to enjoy and want to replicate a finished product but simultaneously want to determine our own way to achieve the same result. I am reminded of a quote from Leonard Ravenhill, a man greatly used by the LORD known for his praying. He said, "Everyone wants to have my mantle, but nobody wants my sackcloth and ashes." People who respected him wanted to be like him, to experience such a revelation of the living God. They wanted to arrive in a place of spiritual authority like Ravenhill had in a moment when he by God had been brought to this place of humility through years of private prayer. They liked the end result of a man surrendered to God, but weren't interested to labour in prayer. Having his mantle given was preferred over following the recipe of surrender to God with perseverance.
If we desire to follow Jesus, He says we need to deny ourselves daily, take up our cross, and follow Him. There is no shortcut to this complete surrender of our will and choosing to obey Him. But we are not convinced of this. So we experiment with various churches, focus in on doctrines of personal interest, buy popular books, and embrace spiritual disciplines others have found profitable--often with little success. Baking and eating provides insight into our spiritual issues. Often the problem isn't with the butter made from cows or the sugar refined from cane: the problem is in our appetites, lack of self control, and unwillingness to submit to God in faith. The cultures and people of the world bring rich diversity to the Body of Christ the church and Jesus is the Head. The diets and tastes of people differ, and this is no problem because our unity does not arise from uniformity but from faith in Jesus Christ.
Because of the unique physical bodies we reside in there is a need to alter our diets accordingly: diabetes, allergies, and intolerances dictate what is safe for us as we employ moderation in eating. It is fine to steer clear of foods which make us feel ill or don't agree with our constitution. If we want to follow Jesus we need to follow Him His way. This life of faith and obedience to Jesus isn't like a recipe we can tweak to improve according to our arbitrary tastes and obtain ideal results. There is no Christianity without suffering; there is no fellowship or communion with God without prayer. There is no fruitfulness without faith demonstrated by obedience. If we desire revival, we must personally embrace it ourselves as we yield to the Holy Spirit. There is no substitute for Jesus!
One of the greatest compliments as a casual baker is when someone enjoys my offering enough to ask for the recipe. I have benefited greatly from people sharing recipes with me so I am happy to freely share the love. Some of the best recipes I have my mother was given by an old lady down the street named Ginger! I acknowledge people have different cooking and baking styles, but there is one common thing people do: they ask for a recipe based upon the finished product they enjoyed, and when they receive the recipe feel the need to alter it. There is no word I am aware of in the English language to describe this curious practice, but there should be. I am open to suggestions! :)
During a walk yesterday with my wife we discussed this and how people can form opinions about certain ingredients being "good" or "bad." There are arbitrary amounts we determine to be "too much" or some which seem too little; we make substitutions to cater to our particular tastes and diets. There is no problem with this! What I am pointing out is the human tendency to enjoy and want to replicate a finished product but simultaneously want to determine our own way to achieve the same result. I am reminded of a quote from Leonard Ravenhill, a man greatly used by the LORD known for his praying. He said, "Everyone wants to have my mantle, but nobody wants my sackcloth and ashes." People who respected him wanted to be like him, to experience such a revelation of the living God. They wanted to arrive in a place of spiritual authority like Ravenhill had in a moment when he by God had been brought to this place of humility through years of private prayer. They liked the end result of a man surrendered to God, but weren't interested to labour in prayer. Having his mantle given was preferred over following the recipe of surrender to God with perseverance.
If we desire to follow Jesus, He says we need to deny ourselves daily, take up our cross, and follow Him. There is no shortcut to this complete surrender of our will and choosing to obey Him. But we are not convinced of this. So we experiment with various churches, focus in on doctrines of personal interest, buy popular books, and embrace spiritual disciplines others have found profitable--often with little success. Baking and eating provides insight into our spiritual issues. Often the problem isn't with the butter made from cows or the sugar refined from cane: the problem is in our appetites, lack of self control, and unwillingness to submit to God in faith. The cultures and people of the world bring rich diversity to the Body of Christ the church and Jesus is the Head. The diets and tastes of people differ, and this is no problem because our unity does not arise from uniformity but from faith in Jesus Christ.
Because of the unique physical bodies we reside in there is a need to alter our diets accordingly: diabetes, allergies, and intolerances dictate what is safe for us as we employ moderation in eating. It is fine to steer clear of foods which make us feel ill or don't agree with our constitution. If we want to follow Jesus we need to follow Him His way. This life of faith and obedience to Jesus isn't like a recipe we can tweak to improve according to our arbitrary tastes and obtain ideal results. There is no Christianity without suffering; there is no fellowship or communion with God without prayer. There is no fruitfulness without faith demonstrated by obedience. If we desire revival, we must personally embrace it ourselves as we yield to the Holy Spirit. There is no substitute for Jesus!
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