Make the cake!

It’s my new mantra:  “Make the cake!”

I know what you’re thinking: “But you’re on South Beach.  Isn’t cake forbidden?”

Technically, yes.  But I’m speaking metaphorically. Or, to put it in plain English, it’s a catch-phrase.

Perhaps I’d better back up a bit.  I’ve shared a lot about our faith journey over the past 18 months.  From God calling us out of our “Ur”, to having to lay my “Isaac” on the altar of sacrifice, to an in-depth study of the Hall of Faith – not once but twice – the concepts of trusting God and living by faith have never been far from my mind.  As Christians, it’s easy to get caught up in church lingo.  But to consider what that means in daily life, how to practically apply those concepts…well, that’s the hard part.

Yesterday, I had a divine encounter that brought me face-to-face with a deeper understanding of what it means to walk by faith.  Literally.  Over salad greens, salmon and smoked gouda, God revealed a bit of His character.  It all began innocently enough:  I had arranged to meet a dear friend for lunch at her favorite restaurant.  She brought a friend with her, and we enjoyed a time of great food and even better conversation.  This new friend is in the midst of her own faith journey as her husband has recently lost his job.  She shared how she’s been encouraged through the story of Elijah and the widow.  In this story, Elijah comes to the widow to find refuge, a place to stay after a time of tremendous testing.  The widow, understandably concerned about her own food situation, tells Elijah that she only has enough oil and flour to make a single cake for herself and her son to share…”that [they] may eat it – and die.”  Elijah’s response is this:

“Don’t be afraid.  Go home and do as you have said.  But first make a small cake of bread for me from what you have and bring it ot me, and then make something for yourself and for your son.  For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the LORD gives rain on the land.”

And guess what?  God did what He said.  That widow had enough every day to feed herself, her son, and her prophet-guest, until the famine was finally ended.  She made the cake.  Every day, she took that oil and flour, kneaded them together and made that cake.  The widow could have very easily rationalized and stored away the little she had for the next day, just in case.  She could have justified going hungry for one day to have enough to meet the demands of the next day.  But she didn’t.  In a simple act, she exhausted her own resources in order to fully depend – by faith – on God’s promise of provision and care.

And that’s when it hit me: I gotta “Make the cake!”  In this faith journey we’re on, it’s tempting to worry about our finances.  It’s easy to become concerned about how we’re going to make it.  The “what if’s” begin to crowd their way into my consciousness, threatening to reduce my faith to sheer panic and the need to “fix” things.

Instead, I gotta “Make the cake!”  I must tie on the apron of assurance, and knead together the blend of God’s faithfulness and provision.  I must stir in some patience, add a bit of peace, and sprinkle it all with a healthy dose of prayer.  I must not save the ingredients for another day.  No, I must do the thing God has called me – at this moment – to do, and trust Him to provide for whatever is lacking.

My cake may not be fancy.  In fact, it’s probably a simple little thing.  Just enough to get me through.  But you know what?  I’ll have some more oil and flour in the jar tomorrow.  And that’ll be just enough, too.

All I have to do is “Make the cake!”