The Chef's Surprise

"Waiting on the Lord" Series

by Gina L.
​from Virtuous Daughters, October 2015~Volume 15, Number 7

​Last year when our family of ten was living in a camper volunteering at a ministry in Flagstaff, Arizona, after five months of living in the same camper on a horse ranch—Sermon on the Mount—in Oklahoma, I finally had this wonderful opportunity to use a full-sized kitchen which was located in the welcome center next to where we parked our camper. With more thankfulness than ever, I resumed the daily task of feeding my large crew.

One evening I decided to make something special for dinner. Though I vividly remember most details surrounding this story, I am not certain what I actually made. Maybe it was Lasagne and homemade bread, or pizza on whole wheat crust made from fresh ground wheat. (Of course I brought my wheat grinder in the camper!) Or perhaps it was baked chicken and mashed potatoes and pie for dessert. I am not sure which, but I do remember being excited in my heart to offer something that was special and that I knew would be loved by all.

With a smile, I scurried about the kitchen. In time, however, a child was complaining of hunger, wondering when dinner would be ready. Looking at the oven timer, I responded, telling him about 20 minutes or so. (Perhaps this dinner was going to be a little later, I realized, because it was extra special. This realization didn’t bother me, because I knew what was ahead.) Now to a hungry child, who doesn’t know what is ahead, I suppose 20 minutes seems like 20 hours, and he proceeded to complain. I said there would be a good dinner before long—not telling what it was—yet he still persisted in his hunger and impatience.

I remember being struck at my excitement and joy to give him something good (which was almost ready), and his inability to see beyond his current plight, for all he could behold was his immediate hunger. I offered him bread if he wanted to eat immediately, but I again reminded him he would probably rather wait. Somehow, with a little faith in my words, he did wait. And soon he enjoyed his special dinner so completely and thoroughly.

As I stood in the kitchen that evening reflecting on the night’s events, I thought about how we are all probably like that with God—like the hungry child. Why isn’t He providing what we so desire right now?
    
I was in the season then of our family looking to buy a house. Why did every lead seem to fail? Why was nothing turning up time after time? Would I just get tired of trusting, and settle for a “piece of bread” like I offered my son? I got the beautiful picture that night of God being like a Master Chef preparing a very special something for me, which is why it was taking longer than I expected—it wasn’t ready yet! I could indeed wait, knowing He had not forgotten me, but rather was taking such care and joy and time to give me something delightful.
  
Waiting on the Lord in the area of marriage is similar indeed, I believe. Perhaps the person God has chosen for you is learning a valuable and important lesson that will make him a much better husband and father, so he is not “ready” yet. Perhaps God has something to teach you that will make you a more joyful, capable wife and a stronger mother, with faith for the journey ahead, and you are not “ready” yet. One thing I know, He knows!
  
Will He forget you? Will He leave you too long? Will you miss “the one”?
  
His timing and His ways are not ours—they’re higher, better, perfect. How often you will look back on your life and be so thankful that God didn’t give you what you wanted when you wanted it. But now you are not looking back. You are trusting. You are looking ahead. That is good, but also don’t forget to look down today at what He has given you to do—those He has placed around you to serve now. Being a wife and mother, though a very high calling indeed, is not superior to being a servant of Him right now where you are, for He has placed you in this exact spot for His exact purpose. And of course, look up as well, for the daily strength to obey and serve for His glory—a habit you will need each day of your life, single or married.
    
Jesus told Thomas, blessed are those who believe without seeing. Of course He was talking about putting your faith in Himself without putting your finger in His hands or sides. And so we also walk by faith and not by sight. We don’t see the end, but we place our faith in Him Who IS the Beginning and the End.
  
This time of trusting without seeing is a necessary part of our walk with Him. This time of “waiting” on the Lord is a time of learning to trust.
    
Marriage and motherhood also have several seasons of waiting in themselves, as does all of life. This current season of waiting, as you know, is not the last time you will yearn to see the answer to a prayer or long to know the future plans God has for you. You will learn over and over that God is worthy to be trusted and you will purpose in your heart once again, when fears and doubts and questions begin to swirl, to place your trust, your faith, your desire in His trustworthy hands, surrendering your own desire to His perfect will...in His perfect time.
   
But what if I can’t discern His will? one may ask. How do I know if this person is “the one”? Or this decision, is it His will? I, too, grappled with these questions and somewhere God brought an answer as I learned to have faith in the Good Shepherd and His ability to lead His sheep. It isn’t that the sheep are such great followers, but rather that the Shepherd is such a great Leader. He is the Good Shepherd after all, and His sheep do hear His voice. I began to trust—not my ability to hear—but rather His ability to make Himself heard.

If my heart is desiring to do His will, could He not make His voice—His will—clear to me? Of course, He is able. With confidence in Him and His ability, I carry on through all the seasons of waiting that life has, thankful I can trust the God Who loves me with an everlasting love, to give me good gifts and at just the right time. He is leading you too.