Corona Devo 1275

I remember being in grade school and standing before a bakery window, reading a sign that I couldn't discern and asking my dad, "What's 'koo-chen' (kuchen)?"

Our family has always enjoyed sweets, but this was one that I didn't know.

Until my dad said, "Kuu-Ken.  You know what kuchen is."  

And indeed I did.  My mom's favorite was raspberry (Entenmann's), and it was in our grocery cart most weeks.  We called it raspberry kuu-ken, but I never knew that it was spelled "kuchen" until somebody taught me.

Fast forward forty years and our plum tree in the front yard just produced a ton of plums.  But what to do with them(?), I wondered to my husband.  

"Well, my granny always made plum kuchen."  

There it was again--kuchen.  Turns out kuchen (German for "cake") goes way back on my husband's side too.  

So, I asked my mother-in-law to help me with their family recipe, and she lovingly taught me the steps and process for the dough and then fruit.  We made plum kuchen.

It was not hard, but I do not think that I would have succeeded in it if she had not shown me.  Some things...you need to be taught.  Explained-in-person.  Shown.  And plum kuchen (for me) is one of them.

The Scriptures are another example.  Yes, we can read the Bible on our own, and we absolutely should.  

But when a parent instills those Biblical accounts and the lessons that God is teaching us through them into a child...it's different.  Faith is shown and discipled.

Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.  ~Proverbs 22:6

~~~

When a mentor, teacher, friend or relative invests in us by explaining their walk-of-faith (ups and downs)...faith becomes real.  Relatable, understandable, authentic and possible...because someone has "taught" us about it, and possibly shown us the steps to making it real in our own lives.   

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience...  ~I Peter 3:15

~~~

When someone that is well-versed in the Bible (a pastor or a friend) takes the time to teach us about Scripture...it's different.  Biblical truths come alive when explained in words (and by people) that we can understand.  The Scriptures can become real because someone has explained them to us.  Truth is taught.

Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (27) So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, (28) and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. (29) The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”  

(30) Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.  

(31) “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.  ~Acts 8:26-31

We need each other along the way as we walk in faith.  

May God bless those who have lovingly taken the time to teach us the steps and processes for reading the Bible, understanding it and applying it to our lives in real and applicable ways.  

And may God bless us when we feel led to "run up" to someone's "chariot" and share the Truth of God with them in words that they can understand.

Faith is not hard, but I'm not sure we can fully succeed in it if we are trying to do it all on our own.  Sometimes we need to show others the way, and sometimes we need to be shown.  

~~~

These are the commands, decrees and laws the Lord your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, (2) so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the Lord your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life. 

(3) Hear, Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, promised you.  

(4) Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. (5) Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 

(6) These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. (7) Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. (8) Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. (9) Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. ~Deuteronomy 6:1-9

We know what faith is.  But sometimes we can't discern exactly what's happening in our lives or even in our hearts and minds.  

Some things...you need to be taught.  Generation to generation.  Explained-in-person.  Shown.  And faith (for me) is one of them.

Blessings,

sarah

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com