It was potluck time at my new job.
God led me to a nice cake recipe. Then, while I was buying the ingredients, God led me to a nice cake mix.
I asked Him, so which is it? Should I put the recipe things back on the shelf, and just get the mix? But God was leading me to get both. I wondered what the point was, when God already knew what would be needed. Then I had to wonder what the point of wondering was. Since God already knew what would be needed.
I didn’t really know how things were going to turn out, yet He was preparing me with whatever was needed, however it was needed. And He was preparing me that He might just change things up. If that’s what was needed.
I faithfully followed the recipe directions. And in the end, when the recipe cake didn’t work out — even when I gave it so much extra time to come together — God had already provided what I needed. I was thankful, no doubt. But I did wonder. I wondered why He didn’t just tell me to skip my efforts to make that cake.
It baked and baked and baked. I mean, it got as done as it was ever going to get. Then the time came to let it go, and start over.
So I did.
I put together what I had left (the glaze icing from the recipe), and the new thing He’d already made available (the cake made from mix). And because He’s the one who did the cooking, I don’t mind saying it was good.
I really didn’t need to be concerned about the finished product. As I went to bed, I reminded myself that my assignment was to serve up what He’d put together for me, and that I wasn’t actually in charge of my coworkers’ tastebuds. The next morning, that same thought made me smile twice as much: when some said they really enjoyed it, and when others politely told me they didn’t prefer the ingredients in the glaze.
It was as done as it was ever going to get.
Funny thing God’s been showing me, long before I made that cake: That His glory is not in us being able to say we’ve ourselves done everything from scratch, or as we originally intended. Instead, we find His glory when we take what He’s given us, and share it with others. When we serve that up, we see His delight.
This is sweet, sweet peace.
Taste and see that the LORD is good.
