Seeking Sous Chef
It’s such a wonderful thing when our deepest longing is for God Himself, not just the amazing gifts He promises, like peace, eternal life, or joy. The Bible beautifully expresses this: “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided to you.” (Matthew 6:33, NASB).And when it says “all these things”, it truly encompasses everything we need. As 2 Peter 1:3 assures us, “By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life.”
But what does it actually mean to seek Him? Let me share a personal story that helps paint a picture. My wife is an incredible cook. She often recounts how she would sit and observe her mother and grandmother in the kitchen, asking questions and absorbing every detail of how they brought ingredients together. She was seeking their wisdom and knowledge and by age 5 was able to prepare a full meal.
My culinary journey was quite different. Growing up in rural North Carolina, my formative years were spent working at my dad’s tire shop, riding my bike, mowing the lawn, and playing sports. Dinner just seemed to magically appear on the table! Fast forward to my senior year of college, and my mom realized I was missing a crucial life skill – I couldn’t cook. So, that summer, my “learning curriculum” involved preparing a weekly family meal. Mom’s basic cooking guide was simple: “Every man can survive if he can fry and bake chicken, cook a steak, and make spaghetti.” As you guessed, my meals were not spectacular but they were edible or so I was told.
Can you see the difference? Both my wife and I were seeking the same end state, a home cooked meal. However, she sought excellence and I sought average. So what happened when our two world’s collided? My beautiful new bride was appalled to learn that my only two seasonings were salt and pepper, after all, I was a survivor, not a chef! Her exact words were “I just can’t…” and proceeded to spend nearly $200 on cooking supplies. I was gasping for air!!!
Seeking – Invites trust.
Over the years, my wife taught me what it means to passionately seek something. She doesn’t rush when she cooks. She sings, she dances and invites me into her happy place. I was honored a few years ago when she called me her sous chef. I wasn’t surprised since I watched and learned from her much as she watched and learned from her mother and grandmother. Although a littler older the 5, I wait for opportunities to show her how much I have moved from past “survival” cooking.
Seeking Christ is so much more than going to church. Its learning His nature. Its walking into His kitchen and Him handing you a menu. (“Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations.” Matt 28:19) and calling you His sous-chef because He trusts you. “And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” (Jer 29:13)
EM