Matthew 4:4 - “Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"
After a long day of preaching plenaries and breakout sessions, we were happy to find a restaurant directly across the street from where we were staying. We opted to take our order to-go so we could have time to rest. I ordered this amazing creole dish and selected a slice of chocolate cake for dessert. As the server brought our “bagged and ready to go” order, I requested a piece of baguette, although I was being urged to “hurry up”. The server grabbed another container, placed a half baguette in it, and placed it in the bag with my entrée and dessert. I was a happy camper.
The food was amazingly flavorful and filling, I really didn’t need much of the baguette after all. The dessert was absolutely fabulous, but I had to stop and save some for later. I packed up the remaining food and placed it in the mini fridge to continue eating later.
The next afternoon, unfortunately, I discovered the mini-fridge wasn’t working well and my seafood based entrée wasn’t kept at a safe temperature. I reluctantly had to quickly grab the container with the entrée and the one with the bread and toss them, but kept the dessert container. A couple hours later, as we trucked down the highway back home, I remembered my half slice of chocolate cake. My mouth watered as I grabbed the container to finish off the decadent dessert. I removed the container from the bag, flipped open the top and my heart completely dropped to my stomach! I was achingly staring at the baguette, NOT my dessert. I had accidently thrown away the wrong to-go container. I sobbed… deeply!
For the next two hours, my mind and heart were riddled with disappointment. I kept asking myself, “How did I do that?” Then my mind went back to the moment that I really wanted that piece of bread. I felt as though the baguette was important and I really needed it… UNTIL IT WAS ALL THAT I HAD LEFT!!!
That was a heart-hitting teachable moment. How often do we have those important things in life and the things that make life sweet, yet we still add things that we feel would enhance? We feel as though certain enhancements are so necessary… until our decisions, our mistakes, our distractions, causes us to lose the important things and that’s all we are left with!
What are you adding to your life? What are you adding to your faith? 2 Peter tells us to …”make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love!” Let us be careful that the things we add to our ministry, to our free time, to works, to our lives… are truly important and are things we can stand before God with and still be pleased! Don’t be left with bread alone!
Heavenly Father, I admit that I am sometimes distracted by glitter of things that can only enhance, but are not the true substance of what you would have to sustain me. God, help me to only add those things that would bring You glory and honor, which are through You, good! In Jesus’ most precious name, Amen!
By: Min. April Carter
