Confessional Cupcakes

I sat here and watched as my friend ate a moist cupcake with a mound of red frosting on top,  I found myself salivating and having this intense craving for one.  I kept working on the task at hand and tried to ignore him, but I just couldn't.  He finally asked me what I was doing, and I was like "Your cupcake looks amazing!"  To which he then said a simple sentence in reply that shifted something for me.  He said, "The cupcake probably wouldn't look so amazing if you were able to eat it."

I began to think of brothers and sisters in other countries that I have had the honor of meeting along the way.  In many parts of the world it is illegal to even own a Bible or to pray in public, and you can forget about a true worship service with the glory of God occurring!  It is dangerous and illegal to totally love Jesus and live for Him, and yet there are thousands of martyrs out there.  These brothers and sisters of ours have some of the most genunie faith and intense passion for Jesus that I have ever known, yet they can't really have Him like we can here in America.  Of course Jesus transcends all and there is nothing and nobody that can stop Him, but doing so puts their lives at risk.  Now stick with me here, this is where the cupcake begins to crumble.

I began to think of my own life and how I am with the Lord.  I have freedom as an American to worship Jesus and pray in public and carry a Bible and all of these other things; most of which people in other countries cannot do.  Sometimes I find myself dragging my feet to enter the presence of the Lord and it seems to be a chore to just get in the Word.  I guess it seems all too often that the things with which we cannot have seem to carry more value in some way.  But then when we do have those things, they somehow become monotonous, routine, and even normal.

My heart began to feel troubled within me as I reflected on this.  The truth is this:  Nothing and nobody can alter the character of Jesus Christ.  He is of infinite value and worthy of all praise, honor, and glory.  After all, Jesus is the same today as He was yesterday and that He will be tomorrow.  Perhaps it would do me some good if I had an attitude shift, a change of heart.  I wonder how I would live if I were in a closed country opposed to Christianity?

I read passages in the Bible like in Revelations 1:14-16 that say:  "The hairs of his head were white, like snow.  His eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters.  In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength."  This same Jesus desires to be with me, to commune with me, to delight in the praises of my lips and the worship of my heart.  And I step back and reflect and realize that something is so wrong.

The cupcake confessional:  I am a jerk to Jesus.  The sweet truth:  Jesus paid the ultimate price for my sin, all of my sin.  Oh that this sleeping giant within me would arise and awaken!  Oh that I would see Jesus for who He really is, awesome!  What was initially said of the cupcake may be true when it comes to finite things like cupcakes.  But when it comes to infinite Jesus in all of His brilliant splendor and radiant glory, while my life may reflect that as being true, it simply is not.  Forgive me Jesus for treating you like a cupcake when instead I should have loved and worshipped you as King Jesus.  I truly am amazed by you and love you...