Cake

I heard a great sermon once about a cake once...

 

The cake wanted to be a blessing to people, and so, the baker started by mixing it up... the cake thought that to be a blessing to others, it could tolerate the mixing... then when the baker checked it, there were still some lumps, so he beat it a little harder to get the lumps out... it was hard for the cake, but to be a blessing to so many would be worth it... Then the baker poured it into a pan.. and it went into the oven. The fire was so hot, and it hurt so much, but surely soon, it would be a blessing to everyone... then the baker took the cake out and set it on a shelf to cool. The cake watched all the other cakes being enjoyed and being blessings, and was sorrowful... why wasn't it the one out there? The baker checked on the cake... it needed to cook a bit longer and back into the fire it went. The cake could barely tolerate it! It hurt so much... it was starting to wonder if it would survive... if it would ever be able to be a blessing... then the baker took it out of the oven, let it cool on the shelf again, and again the cake watched and waited. Finally one day, the baker took the cake down... it was time! The cake was overjoyed... until the baker got out a knife and began to cut. First one cut, then another, and another and another... the cake cried out "must it be so many?" But the baker kept cutting and cutting.... until finally, it was finished.  The cake was part of a glorious feast, and everyone was blessed to have a little piece of it.

You see,just as the cake had to face the fire and to be cut over and over again to be a blessing to many, we must go through many trials - some by fire, some by blood... to be used of God.

When I heard this sermon, God pricked my heart like never before.  He told me loud and clear, "that is what I want from you"... and I told Him "no". I refused to go up at invitation because I was scared of that pain, of those trials by fire... "Next time"... I told Him. I broke my own heart that day by refusing my Lord and Saviour's call. He died on the cross in my place, and out of fear, I denied His request. And I have never forgotten it.

Why do I tell you all this? Because that was several years ago, and God has given me another chance to respond to Him... and I did. And I promised Him that I would give Him my all, no matter what the cost. And God honored my promise... He has brought me through fire after burning fire, and cut after bleeding cut... and though  I am far from being fit for the Master's use, God has never given me a trial, put me in a fire or cut me to the quick that it wasn't worth every minute of the pain.

I'm writing this to you now to beg you to be sensitive to God's call. When He asks you to do something... to take up your cross and follow Him, please. please don't tell Him no! Whether it is His call on your heart to accept His precious Son as your Lord and Saviour, or a call to preach, or simply a call to follow in blind faith, it is worth it all. Every prayer, every tear, every ungrateful heart, cold shoulder or turned back... IT IS WORTH IT ALL!

The devil will tell you otherwise. He will fill your heart with fears and doubts, with anger and bitterness... anything he can do to discourage you from accepting the Lord's call. And if you give into his lies and his tricks, YOU WILL REGRET IT!

I look back at my life and wonder what God could have done in those wasted years if I would have put my trust in Him to lead me through the pain. And I thank Him for giving me that second chance to take up my cross and follow Him. Have you heard God's voice today? Are you a child of God, born of water and of spirit? Are you trusting in Him to lead you through? Or do you have your fingers in your ears, humming as loud as you can so that His call cannot be heard? God is waiting... He loves you, He wants you to trust Him... Trust Him to save your soul from your sins, trust Him to lead you through the fires, trust Him and follow Him no matter what, no matter where and no matter how far.

Are you listening?