Follow The Recipe

Wednesday, June 7, 2017

Follow The Recipe

Scripture:

Matthew 23:11-12

¹¹ But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. ¹² And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.

Galatians 5:13

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

John 13:14-15

If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.

Mark 10:43-44

But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all.

1 Peter 5:5

Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Proverbs 29:23

One's pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor.

Isaiah 57:15

For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.

Proverbs 16:18-19

Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor than to divide the spoil with the proud.

Psalm 138:6

For though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly, but the haughty he knows from afar.

Devotional:

I love to cook. I am the chef of our home, cooking three meals a day for our family of four. Granted, I don’t really have time for the gourmet meals I would love to concoct for them on this schedule, and at times cooking three meals a day happens all at once before breakfast, but I LOVE cooking. I love creating dishes and tweaking the ideas of others. We live with several dietary constraints, which for some might feel overwhelming, but I love the challenge of creating gluten, grain, dairy, and peanut free joys for our family. The one thing I do NOT love…is recipes. For a creative cook like me, staring at a page and getting things “just right” is stifling. It just slows me down. Just put me in the kitchen with my stuff, and let me go! And that usually works just great for me….

Until I bake.

All bakers know one thing: YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW THE RECIPE. To a certain extent, substitutions will work, but you also need to be aware of proportions and how they will affect the chemistry of the baked item. It’s usually better to JUST FOLLOW IT. Isn’t it so great that we have recipes to follow? Isn’t it wonderful that someone took the time to work out those proportions for us? Even when putting my own spin on something, I check in and do my research on baking proportions so that I am sure to love the final product.

Jesus wrote us recipes, too. This recipe for being humble is so gentle and loving. He has shown me that if I want to have esteem with Him, that I can find it through my choice to humble myself and to serve.

At times, I find myself going off the recipe. I find myself pushing my agenda, trying to make things happen myself and in my own way, and when I do I find myself often at square one needing a do over. In those moments, I recognize that my life is much simpler when I just FOLLOW THE RECIPE. Let’s pray.

Prayer:

Father, I am so thankful for Your recipe book. You have shown us what You desire of Your servants, of Your children. It is so easy to lose sight of Your desire for us, but thank You that You have given us Your Word so that we can get back into proportion. Today, I ask that You will instill in me the heart of a servant as a wife and mother. I ask that You will cause humility to shine through. I give my heart, attitudes and intentions to You. I want to be humble. I choose to humble myself before You and ask that You would remove any pride.

Intercession:

Today, I lift up my child(ren). I ask that You will also cause pride to be vanquished in their heart(s) and mind(s). You are the One Who can cause humility and a servant’s heart to be instilled. I request that for (each of) my child(ren). I desire that they be grown and nurtured in Your truth.

(Spend time naming particular needs, focus on them, leave them at the Throne).

I give my home and family to You today. Guide me in Your Way.

In Jesus’ Name I pray, amen.