New Recipes

If you are familiar with my blog you know my love of cooking and baking. The kitchen is where I feel most comfortable and feeding people makes my heart smile. I came from a big Italian family need I say more? When I first got married I relied on the recipes that were most familiar to me that my mom made when I was living at home. One day however I distinctly remember pulling out a Betty Crocker cook book from off the shelf  and thought to myself, “new recipes” why not give em a try. Betty’s recipes were approachable and affordable which as a newlywed on a tight budget was essential. Some recipes were keepers, others not so much. As time went on I would become a collector of recipes from magazines, cooking shows, a host of girlfriends, church potlucks and home groups. Fast forward to an age when experience has taught me a couple of things. While I can still learn new techniques or discover timesaver shortcuts which I love, time tested principles must still be applied in the kitchen. I see a similar truth in our walk with God.

We seem to be living in a time where the people of God are always looking for the new recipe for their faith. A new social media influencer, or a trending author to motivate us out of our lethargy. We are in search of the next set of ideas from someone who does little more than spins the word of God with all the narrative of the day. Don’t get me wrong, I do believe God raises up the next generation in our place (He always has) and that there is a need to welcome and encourage those who will carry on the gospel message. And yes, it will look different from past generations. It should! But the concern here, is the anxious pursuit for something better.

Psalm 119:30, 52, and Psalm 19:9 lean in to the ageless application of what we as followers of Christ should strive to remember. Listen to what the Psalmist knew thousands of years prior to our existence yet so relevant now. “I have chosen the faithful way; I have placed Your ordinances before me”, “I have remembered Your ordinances from of old, O Lord, and comfort myself”, “The judgements of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether.”

My mentors are folks who are dead. They have gone on to be with the Lord a long time ago. For me, these are the saints who lived it. They walked it out, cried it through, prayed with a passion, effected their generation and went home to glory. They stayed with the book that has withstood every criticism and the relentless attempts to be made irrelevant. They were not in search of anything outside of God’s declared will for life and godliness found in His word. They did not need to be pumped up or amped up, the scriptures where the lamp for their feet and the light to their path.

For years I was on the hunt for a new chocolate cake recipe! Guess what? I’m now sticking with my old tried and true. O Lord, help us to realize Your ordinances are tried and true. Keep us coming back to You!