When I was in my foods and nutrition class in high school, we had the opportunity to bake and make a variety of things. One day in foods class we were making biscuits. As we got all the ingredients together, I followed the instructions, mixed, and plopped my doughy creation onto the pan. I had visions of grandeur. I could just picture my biscuits coming out of the oven light brown, warm, and flaky just like in a Pillsbury commercial.
When the biscuits finally were done and they came out, it wasn't just as I had dreamed, but they didn't look bad either. When they had cooled a bit, I took one of my creations in hand and brought it towards my mouth and bit into...what was worst biscuit of my life. Something was terribly off about this biscuit. It was on that day that I realized something very important. There's a big difference between baking powder and baking soda. I didn't get it right and I made a bad biscuit. If only I followed instructions as well as I dreamt about biscuits.
There are some things in life that we just need to get right. Details matter and if missed, they can have big consequences. Good intentions don’t always produce good results. Understanding is important too. Get it wrong in foods class and you’ll have a bad biscuit. In life the stakes are much higher and the consequences longer lasting. There are too many stories with bad endings that could have been avoided if people would have paid attention to God’s Word. God doesn’t want any of us to live a could’ve, would’ve, should’ve kind of life. He desires for us to have life and have to it to the full (John 10:10). However, that comes as a response to hearing and heeding His instruction.
If you have a Bible, make sure you pick it up regularly. Read it. Study it. Obey it. Don’t let it collect dust on a shelf. Let God’s Word seep into your heart and come to life. There is great blessing when you choose follow God’s recipe for life. Jesus reminds us in Luke 11:28 (ESV),
“Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”
When God gives you instruction, shows you the details, or convicts your heart in which way to go, don’t ignore Him. Listen to Him and watch how He cooks up something wonderful in your life. We may make mistakes and bake some bad biscuits, but God never does. Trust the Master Chef and know that life will taste much better when you do.