The last few days my husband and five of our kids have been enjoying some time at a beautiful spot by Lake Gage in Indiana U.S.A. We’ve been having a great time seeing the sights, walking by the lake, admiring the picture postcard houses, eating lots and being introduced to some American traditions.
One of those traditions is making smores; a gooey marshmallow and chocolate concoction squished between two sweet crackers. Smores are yummy and just a little bit addictive, and whilst eating one tonight I was thinking that smores are a little bit like how life can be.
To make a great smore you need two marshmallows – one is okay, but two is better, which is much like what the bible says, “Two are better than one, for when one person falls the other can help him up”. (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12) . When we have the right people in our life who encourage and help us to be the best version of ourself, two are better than one.
To make smores you need to toast the marshmallows so they are all gooey. God has also actually designed and causes us to be soft and gooey on the inside too when we aloow Him to work in our hearts. Just like a smore marshmallow we need to be warm, and soft in the middle for things to work and come together too.
Chocolate seems to make a lot of things better, and smores are no exception. Coupled with two toasted marshmallows just works, much the same as working together with others in unity just makes everything work better in life too. God says “how good it is when brothers live together in unity”, and that “where there is unity He commands a blessing.” (Psalm 133:1)
Lastly are Graham crackers – a crunchy honey flavored cracker that makes a smore all come together. It’s the crunch that keeps all the gooey sweetness happening. Smore crackers are a bit like life’s “meaty bits” where you just have to buckle down and get things done, It may be a handful at times, and even difficult, but the “crunchy” not so smooth parts of life are where God works in us. He perfects our patience and in the process we get the opportunity to put wheels on our faith.
All things work together for good in God’s hands. The more crunchy, needing to be chewed on parts, and the soft and gooey all work for our good when we allow God to draw them together.
“And we know that all things work together for good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purposes” (Romans 8 : 28)
Today, know that God is the midst of every circumstance, and that he works to make everything work out for the best. There may be hard times, but be encouraged because God is still working in the difficulties, and he will draw people around you to encourage and lighten the load. Watch out for the sweet parts of your day, and for those who love and care for you, because they are the ones who will help keep it all together, much like marshmallows and chocolate.
Prayer: Lord help me to appreciate the sweet, gooey parts of my life, as well as the “I need to get on with it” parts. Thank you for what you are doing in me today, and please help my life to be as flavoursome and good to taste as a smore. In Jesus name Amen
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