Corona Devo 1594

There is definitely a process to making peach jam, and it takes time.  

First comes the peeling of the peaches. Many peaches...and this takes time.

           

Then comes the cutting and chopping of the peach flesh off of the pit.  And not just chopping, but finely chopping.  This is part of the process and takes some time.  

Then comes the heating-to-boiling of the peaches with pectin in a pot.  This takes time.

Then add the sugar and bring it back up to a boil once again.  This is part of the process and takes some (more) time. 

Then there is the careful ladling of hot peach-liquid-jam into jars. This takes time (and please be careful, because the jam and those jars get hot!)  This takes careful time. 

Next, wipe the jar-mouths clean so that a lid can be carefully placed and tightened...but not too tight, atop the jar.  This takes some time, and it's part of the process.

And then...(did we start bringing a huge canner-pot up to a boil about an hour ago in this process? I hope so, because now we are ready for it.)...put the hot jars of lidded jam on a canner rack and carefully lower it into the boiling pot of hot water, taking care not to let the water overflow the pot.  This takes time.

Bring it back up to a boil.  (This takes time.)  And then boil for 10 minutes. 

And just like that, we have peach jam!  

Okay, so nothing about that process was "Just like that", was it?

But there is always a process that must occur in cooking...and in learning...and in growing...and in life..in order to produce something good, something worthwhile, something valuable.  And--it takes time.

The peach jam that was produced through that process and during that time, was good, and worthwhile and valuable (to me)!  And right now...and yesterday...and tomorrow too, God is in the middle of a process with us. He is always in the process of making us more like Him...if we will let Him. And this takes time.  Hang in here today.  God is in-the-process with us.

And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.  ~Philippians 1:6

~~~

We might know exactly what God is up to right now: perhaps He's working on our patience level, or maybe He is refining us in some way.  

Or it could be that we have no idea why the things/people/circumstances in our life right now are occurring.  But take heart, because we can trust that God is in this process.

He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together.  ~Colossian 1:17

~~~

There is definitely a process each day as we seek the Lord's face and living for Him.  And it takes time.  

There is growth, there are set-backs.  There are highs and lows, triumphs and devastations.  Joy and sorrow, and He is in there with us in the process of all of it.

There is a time for everything.  

There’s a time for everything that is done on earth.  

(2) There is a time to be born.  And there’s a time to die.  

There is a time to plant.  And there’s a time to pull up what is planted.  

(3) There is a time to kill.  And there’s a time to heal.  

There is a time to tear down.  And there’s a time to build up.  

(4) There is a time to weep.  And there’s a time to laugh.  

There is a time to be sad.  And there’s a time to dance.  

(5) There is a time to scatter stones.  And there’s a time to gather them.  

There is a time to embrace someone.  And there’s a time not to embrace. 

(6) There is a time to search.  And there’s a time to stop searching.  

There is a time to keep.  And there’s a time to throw away. 

(7) There is a time to tear.  And there’s a time to mend.  

There is a time to be silent.  And there’s a time to speak. 

(8) There is a time to love.  And there’s a time to hate.

There is a time for war.  And there’s a time for peace.  ~Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

~~~

If we feel like we are in the middle of a huge process...we're right.  God is at work in us and around us.  All of this takes time, but guess what? 

There is always a process that must occur in order to produce something good, something worthwhile, something valuable.  It takes time, and one day, we will know fully about God's processes (and the time they took).

For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.  ~I Corinthians 13:12

Until then, let's have a piece of toast with peach jam.  It's good.

Blessings,

sarah

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com