Good Gravy!

"No gravy?  You don't know what you're missing."  Grandma said this each and every time she made dinner for us.  She always made pot roast, whipped potatoes with real cream and real butter and cole slaw that was the best ever.  She always made brown gravy but I never ever ate it.  I like to taste my food and never was a gravy eater until............

Dick learned to make Beef Wellington. Since he made it, I had to taste it and it was fabulous, even the gravy!  Now he makes that gravy for any dish and I enjoy it.

I was stubborn when I was young (surprised?) and refused to taste Grandma's gravy. Her pot roast, potatoes and cole slaw were the best ever.  Guess I will never know if her gravy was good enough to convert me to an occasional gravy eater.

I reflected on stubbornness when I read Mark 3:1-6.  Jesus went to a synagogue and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Some of those who were looking to accuse Jesus were there watching.  They wanted to see if He would break the rules and heal on the Sabbath.  "Stand up in front of everyone" Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand.  Then Jesus addressed the accusers.  "Which is lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or kill?"  They remained silent.  Jesus was angry and deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts.  He told the man to stretch out his hand and when he did it was completely restored.

Wow!  Talk about addressing the opposition.  Jesus knew they were waiting to catch Him rule breaking.  He tried to point out to them that they were missing out on God's Good Gifts because they were too stubborn.  When they wouldn't engage in a discussion he gave them a demonstration and healed the man.  He gave this man a fully functioning hand, on the Sabbath  in front of everyone.

The Pharisees were too stubborn to recognize  this as a sign or a wonder or a preview of coming events.  Instead they began to muster forces to kill Jesus.

This display of stubbornness in the face of God's love and giving, makes me wonder when I've been so set in my faith that I can't recognize God's work in my life. I hope I don't choose to be stubborn and miss the signs and wonders that happen in front of me.  Just because something challenges my faith view of life, I need to ask what is God doing; it this good or evil; will this bring life and restoration?

Too often believers think they have never a miracle or maybe only one or two in their lifetime.  But suppose our stubbornness and our definition of miracle is the reason we don't recognize a good thing when it's right in front of us.   I believe God is at work all the time, all around  me.  Therefore, good things are happening because God is Good.  The problem is I am defining good when God invented Good.

God has given me so much more than a palette for good gravy. My mission is to suppress my stubbornness and I will see more of God's Good Works in the world.