The Rice Cooker

While I love kitchen gadgets, as a wife you are always hoping for that romantic gift. For my November birthday, I received just such a gift. . . a rice cooker. I admit that I was a little disappointed even though I had previously mentioned a rice cooker.

This morning, I tried yet another recipe in the cooker. As I measured the oats and other ingredients, I once again thought this is a gift that keeps on giving. It cooks perfect rice. Is amazing with soups, stews, pot roast, and now I find it makes perfect oatmeal. The more I learn to incorporate it into my everyday cooking. . . the more I appreciate it's value.
This is not unlike our time spent with God. Before we start spending time with God, we don't know or understand the benefits. Yes, we think it would be good but it requires commitment (and worse yet TIME). Yet we will spend time and even money on an appliance or tool that we are hopeful of the results. In Isaiah 55:2-3, it says "Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare. Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David." Oh that everyday I might discover that the best of what comes out of the rice cooker doesn't compare to the "riches of fare" that God has for me when I spend time with Him.

I have noticed that one of our biggest difficulties as Christians today is living between two worlds. We struggled between living on earth and our eternal home in heaven. Jesus said that you are no longer of this world any more than He is (Jn. 17:14-16). Still I find that to be hard to grasp daily and, in fact, impossible without God's help. That joy that I found in the rice cooker is about all the joy I can muster on my own. However, He is the true source of joy. When He is our foundation (meaning we spend time learning from Him), then the ability to stand and cope with the problems of life with joy becomes a reality. It is one of those things that you must give effort to or you will never see the benefit. Sadly that means that we would miss out on what could be our most valued possession. Not only that but think of all the scorched rice, I mean messed up marriages (or fill in the blank with any other huge mistake we might make) while we try to deal with life without His constant whisper in our ear of what to do next or how to handle that situation.

So who knew that a rice cooker could teach about joy. I love God's little surprises as He uses the everyday to teach us. Now I hope to apply this lesson. I hope it was a blessing to you as well.