Here's a cooking tip for you if you need an easy way to peel garlic: turn it on the flatter side and press with the heel of your hand until you hear a "pop". That loosens the outer peel that contains the clove inside. You can then peel the garlic clove easily so it can be prepared for cooking.
So why would I put a cooking tip in my blog? Well, sometimes when I am doing the most mundane things like peeling garlic, God says "Write this!"
As I was popping and peeling my garlic cloves a verse came to mind from 2 Corinthians 4:8 "We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed".
The weight of that verse sat on my heart...so many have felt something heavy in their life. Sometimes it's just this old broken world that we live in. But could it be that sometimes, the loving Father in Heaven is causing this pressure? Could it be that the all-loving Creator literally has his child in a tight spot on purpose? Would God do that to His kids? Of course He would.
We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed.
How else are we to grow stronger? If he doesn't remove that tough outer husk of "self" after some pressure, how are we going to enjoy the real flavor of life?
Garlic is most pungent when it has been broken off the whole bulb, pressed and peeled...and yes crushed. And the more you break down that tiny piece of plant, the "louder" it gets with the fragrance. Pretty soon someone in the other room can smell it!
Have you ever met a real Christ follower who has had an easy life? A life of no problems, no issues, no sin? I think not. If you are a Christian and haven't come upon hard times, well then you better get ready!
My dear reader, one day you will awaken and find yourself in God's kitchen and He's stirring the pot of your life. And you will find yourself like that little garlic clove, getting pressed until you feel like you're going to break. But remember, this recipe is not for disaster but a magnificent culmination of His will intersecting with your life. And what an amazing recipe that is!
So when that day comes, pray, seek His will, ask others to pray that you will persevere and that your life becomes so fragrant to others they will be drawn to Christ from near and far!
As some comfort remember this: He wouldn't ask you to go through anything that Jesus had already been through Himself. (Check out Isaiah 53:5)
I'll get back to my roasted tomato and pepper salsa...and garlic cloves. Why don't you check out your Bible today and see what He has to share with you?
Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him! Psalms 34:8
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2 comments:
I really enjoyed this post. You put into perfect words a thought that I have also been having. People say that God will only give you what you can handle. We have discovered that this is simply not true! He will allow more than you can handle, but it is not a bad thing. If you handle it with Him, you will grow!
Thank you for writing what He put into your heart. It seems that garlic was not only good for your body but good for our spirit today.
Never ceases to amaze me how God providentially brings our attention to things He is teaching us...He just loves to show He is Sovereign...was just reading and praying about the fragrance of Christ this PM. Thanks for taking a moment to share what God was showing you.
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