On a recent trip to New Orleans with my husband, I tasted something new and wonderful. Of course, it’s not surprising that I enjoyed amazing food in New Orleans, and in fact, it was because I had feasted on so many rich and fattening foods, that I ordered something different. While dining at Brennan’s, I decided to order the “Trout Nancy”. In truth, I don’t really enjoy eating fish; I’d much prefer steak, chicken or even a salad, but I was starting to dread the post NOLA weigh-in and thought fish would be a wise choice. When the meal arrived, I noshed on the green beans first, and by the time I had finished my veggies, half of the table (who also happened to order the fish) began raving about how incredible the fish tasted. Now let’s be honest, even you pescatarians have to agree that cooked fish isn’t pretty. It’s brown or grey or white and sorta slimy looking. It doesn’t smell as good as most foods, and most people eat it for health and not for taste. Y’all, it was amazing. When I finally picked up my fork and trusted the others at the table and actually tasted the bite, I truly enjoyed it. It may have been the first time that I ate every bite of a fish dish.
“Oh taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man that trusts in Him.” Psalm 34:8” NKJV
Trusting in the Lord is not easy. It’s not our usual recourse. Most of us say we trust in the Lord. We know he is good, but we tend to fail by putting that trust in action. The Bible is clear in its instructions to us on obedience. We are called to freely forgive, to love the poor, to repent of our habitual sins, to not worship idols…. But it is so much easier to play it safe. Seeking peace with our enemies and wanting peace for them breeds all kinds of anxiety and insecurity. Getting to know and help the disenfranchised in our city can be uncomfortable and sacrificial. Letting go of bad habits is really hard and putting Jesus on the throne instead of our own agenda takes daily discipline. It’s a lot more difficult to do than ordering fish at a fancy restaurant, but when we do, the reward is amazing.
Last week, I knew the Lord was calling me to reach out to someone I had been out of touch with. The longer the space of time grew, the more insecure and angry I became. I thought the radio silence was because of a rift in our relationship, and I had no clue what I had done. The bible tells us that if a “brother” has a problem with you, you are to go to that brother and seek peace Matthew 5:24). I did not want to make the call. I really didn’t want to know what I had done, but how can I say I trust the Lord, if I don’t obey His word? If I trust Him, I have to believe that everything He tells me to do is the right thing. I did make the call and the same evening enjoyed dinner with this precious person. Obedience leads to incredible blessing on earth and in Heaven, but we cannot taste and see how good God is if we don’t put our trust in action through obedience.
Oh dear friends, search your heart to see what God is asking you to do. Search His word; the answers are there, and then just do it. Don’t miss out on the blessing by choosing the safe and obtuse way. God is so good
Post script….. Trout Nancy is bathed in butter, so maybe not the healthiest choice :/
May all your risks have the savory blessing of being bathed in better than butter. XO