via Center
This journey I’m on, writing everyday, using the “Daily Post” as a vehicle to jumpstart my mind, has been at times exhausting, and at other times exhilarating. Some days I have a host of people who read, like and follow what I’ve written. Other days, I’m lucky to have a handful. Life is like that isn’t it? In the now famous words of Bubba Gump’s momma, “Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.” I always liked this line in the movie because it reminded me of my own mom, she just loved chocolate covered cherries. That bit-sized morsel of chocolate so delicious made even sweeter with the juicy richness of the cherry in the center. My mother loved them, would eat them by the box; me – not so much.
Last week I made a treat for desert one night which turned out to be a real hit among some friends at church. German Chocolate Carmel Bars have been a favorite of mine for a long time. My new hobby/pass-time for the last 8 months or so has been learning to cook. While I’m quite sure I’ll never be a “chef” by any stretch of the imagination, I do ok from time to time. We’re still alive. So, I decided to make these chocolate bars I have always liked. Essentially it is a chocolate brownie type treat with caramel and chocolate chips at the center of every bite. I had a great time making it, and several friends kindly affirmed my burgeoning interest in my new hobby.
These images reflect how wonderful my life is today, and the true message I wish to convey through this blog. Parts of my life these days are like a confectioner’s chocolate, smooth, rich, and tasty. Other parts of my life are more like the baked chocolate bar, a little crusty and harder on the outside than inside, because of the time spent under the heat of pressure. Both are treats, and both are made sweeter still by what is on the inside, at the center. The essence of the chocolate is made sweeter still by the cherries or the caramel, and so my life is enriched by what is at the core of my existence: Jesus.
When Moses wanted to know God’s name, God simply said, “I Am.” The Creator of the Universe is the center of all life, all knowledge, or any other created thing. According to John the apostle [John 1:3], “All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.” Jesus is the center of all things. According to the apostle Paul [Colossians 1:16] “For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities– all things have been created through Him and for Him.” Jesus is the center of all things.
When we discover this simple truth, we come closer to understanding what brings the sweet richness of life which God always intended for us to experience. When someone asks you, “What is at the center of your life?”, how do you answer? Go ahead, ask me at what is at the center of my life. “I Am.” Not me – the ornery, cantankerous, sometimes obstinate Dr. Wilkins. THE – I AM – the Creator, the one who designed me, to be but a reflection of His glory. I am here to experience God’s grace every day, and to extend His glory to the ends of the earth. I can only do that when “I AM” is at the center of my existence.
What is at the center of your life?
As I was saying... 