“So I went to the angel and told him to give me the little scroll. And he said to me, “Take and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey.” And I took the little scroll from the hand of the angel and ate it. It was sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it my stomach was made bitter.” Revelation 10: 9-10
Have you ever set your eyes on something that made you drool and check your wallet? abandoning all budgets and diet restrictions, paying an exorbitant amount of money for something that looked sweet or alluring? My nemesis is a local food cart, The Rolling Dough. This vehicle of delights offers donuts the size of a dinner plate and soft pretzels that constitute a meal. Every bite is heaven; it all tastes light and fluffy on the way down . . . About an hour later I realize my mistake.
It’s the Garden of Eden all over again, with Eve staring longingly at the fruit she now believes will give her super powers. “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate,” Genesis 3:6
Temptation. A delight to the eyes. Something to be desired. To make ME wise. To satisfy myself. Did God really say not to eat it? What does He know, this thing looks amazing. One bite won’t hurt. See, it’s sweet and delicious. Try this, Adam, (insert the name of your best friend or family member that you want to drag down with you). See, nothing happened . . . oh, wait, Adam, why aren’t you wearing any clothes?
That which was sweet and alluring sours quickly in the stomach. That which promised so much–rich delicacies, fame, fortune, relationships, substances–you name it, now yields only a stomach ache, headache, bank account-ache, life-ache, rising like bile in your throat. And it doesn’t just go away.
For Eve, the giving in to temptation changed the world. For John, as he recorded the Revelation on the Isle of Patmos, he was required to experience the sensation of sweetness, followed by sour, bitterness. He had no option, as he was receiving instruction from an angel of the Lord. Too often the bitterness we taste follows a choice we made willingly.
After the choice, as the sweetness fades into sour, frustrating moments of regret, we have two options: hide from God, or run to God. Eve hid. Or she tried to. She found a bush and a fig leaf. She blamed the snake. She blamed God. In the midst of the sour taste filling her mouth she chose to rebel further, instead of seeking the one who could help her and restore sweetness to her soul.
I don’t know if you have been a frequent visitor to a local food truck, or just spending too much time looking longingly at things you know will not bring lasting life to your soul, but I want to encourage you to stop pretending that momentary hits of sweetness will change your life for the better. When God gave Eve the instruction to NOT EAT from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, He gave that instruction for her benefit. He was not withholding something good from her. God is, in fact, trustworthy and loving and kind. He desires what is eternally best for all of us, leading to life, not that which seems sweet but ends up sour; leading to death.
Stop trying to hide from God. Stop giving in to things that bring only decay and destruction. Stop making excuses. Stop complicating the process with all the whys of why it can’t be done. Stop saying you will do it tomorrow. Do it today. One step, one decision at a time. Rely on God to help you every step of the way. Stop staring at the temptations and start looking to the Savior. He offers life. He is completely able to restore your life, if you let Him.
I found myself staring into a bakery case of giant cakes in Passau, Germany last week. The temptation was overwhelming, and we had actually budgeted the money and calories to imbibe in a special treat. I don’t speak German and the clerk did not have a great grasp of English, so with pointing and head nodding I selected a piece of cake that to this day I am uncertain what was in it. It was delightful. But not that sweet. The Europeans keep sweets a notch or two or three less sweet than we do here in the southern USA. A great reminder for me that all that glitters is not gold.
Today’s recipe is indeed sweet and a lovely fall treat, a play on the traditional outdoor s’more. If your bonfire gets rained on, you can make these in a flash and I guarantee they will not last long.
S’mores Bars
- Graham Crackers, about 24
- 6 oz package milk chocolate chips
- 2 cups mini marshmallows
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar (light brown will work)
- 1 tsp vanilla
Preheat oven to 350*. Spray 13×9” pan. Line pan with graham crackers. Sprinkle with marshmallows and chocolate chips.
In saucepan over low heat, melt butter, stir in brown sugar. Stir together until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Drizzle syrup over the crackers, chips and marshmallows.
Bake for 10-12 minutes until marshmallows are golden brown. Cool and cut into squares as best you can! Then enjoy a bite of sweetness, but refrain from eating the entire batch!
