Some of my favorite dishes require one important step. Simmering. Letting a dish sit on the stove and slowly cook at a low temperature deepens the flavors and enriches the taste.  And sometimes, letting those flavors rest overnight makes it even better.

This concept transfers very nicely to meditating on God’s Word (Joshua 1:8 says to “meditate on it day and night”) or on focusing and thinking on what is honorable, right, and pure (Philippians 4:8).


It doesn’t, however, do well for bothersome thoughts. Over the years I have had multiple incidents where something was said, texted, or emailed, and I didn’t have a chance to talk about the issue with the person, but instead just think about it . . . it and all the possible meanings and innuendos and ramifications. In other words, I “let it stew.”

This never turns out well, does it? At least not for me. I worry, get angry, lose sleep, and for what? Something that may or may not have been meant, or something that may or may not even be an issue.

The Bible is very clear about not wasting your time and thought on these issues.

I Peters 5:7 tells us to “Cast all [our] anxiety on him because he cares for [us].”

Philippians 4:6 says to “not be anxious about anything, but in every situation . . . present [our] requests to God.” With a thankful heart, mind you.

And Ephesians 4:26 tells us to “Not let the sun go down while [we]are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.”

Let’s not let the devil get even a sliver of an opportunity of taking away our peace or causing friction in our relationships. Let’s not “let it stew.”

I can still distinctly remember one drive home (Fresno) from college (UC Irvine) for Christmas. I left Southern California in sun. As I approached the bottom of the Ridge Route, the rain started. By the time I reached the summit, it was snowing. I made it safely to the other side only to hit horrific winds at the bottom of the grade near Arvin. Not to be left out, thick tule fog settled in around Bakersfield and accompanied me all the way home. Needless to say, I was tired by the time that five-hour plus journey was over.


I was reminded of that drive last week as I was coming back from Utah on I-80. The drive started pleasant enough, and I made it to the Nevada border without incident. However, Nevada had other ideas. The winds picked up, gusting at times to 50 mph or more. I was hanging on tightly and watching the semis ahead of me sway across the lanes.

Next came the tumbleweeds. Thousands of them, rolling across the highway like grunion running on a beach. There was no avoiding them, so I just held on tighter and prayed the big ones, the ones that still had their roots attached, wouldn’t hit me. The closer I got to Reno, the fewer the tumbleweeds, but the winds still gusted and now snow was falling. Or should I say swirling and sticking. And I still had to cross the mountains to get home.

Life is often like that, isn’t it? Our day, week, year starts out pleasant enough and then a little foul weather appears. We hang on, hoping it won’t last long and we can just ride it out. But sometimes it just gets worse, not better. What to do?

In this day and age, technology via a weather app helps us see into our future. For me, a week ago, this showed that the mountain roads were clear though clouds still loomed and there was a possibility of a few inches of snow. All doable in my all-wheel drive. I just hoped the app was accurate. After all, weather apps and -men have been known to get it wrong.

But life doesn’t have a weather app . . . or does it?

The Bible is full of verses reminding us that God will see us through the “storms” of our life.

Sometimes, He stills them, causing them to cease completely: “He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed” (Psalm 107: 29).

Sometimes he provides us a safe place to wait it out: “The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him” (Nahum 1:7).

But always, especially when we have to weather it, he promises to be right there with us: “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4).

While weather broadcasters cannot fully predict what might lie ahead, neither can we know what is around the corner. However, our God does, and our app, the Bible, can provide peace and calm. And neither is ever wrong.

If the last two years has taught us anything, it is that, despite the wonder of FaceTime, the convenience of Zoom, and the efficiency of texting and email, there is nothing like being “In Person.”

We have always known this with family. Though nice to be able to see someone on FaceTime, it is still a poor substitute for having the person right there with you. Schools have realized that while the computer is a handy tool, learning and social interaction occur best when teachers and students share the same physical space. And church attenders have learned that while you can hear the message in multiple ways, it is while in the community with other believers that one feels more a part of the body of Christ.

In Person is good. In Person is desirable. This is why when Christ told his disciples he was leaving (John 16), they were not happy. In fact, they were sorrowful, for they had been with Him––In Person––for three years. Now what?

This weekend, Easter, marks two life-altering events. It is the date that Christ provided the ultimate sacrifice for our sins thus providing the way of redemption and salvation …  and it started the countdown to the world-wide ministry of the Holy Spirit.

What the disciples initially saw as a huge personal loss, proved to be a universal gain, for now God, through the Holy Spirit, would be with each and every believer—In Person.

Happy Easter.

Vegans and vegetarians have opted not to eat meat for various reasons, the two primary being health and ethics. However, this has not taken away the craving or desire to enjoy meat products: a burger, hot dog, or turkey breast. Hence, the meat substitute––a plant-based product that fits the profile and solves the problem.

I needed this reminder, because, as I think I have shared before, I have an unhealthy relationship with food. It is my go-to remedy for just about everything: boredom, sadness, irritation, celebration. I don’t need a meat substitute. I need a food substitute.

I remember voicing these very words aloud one day in prayer, when an immediate, “My Word” came flying back at me.

Now, I know I will get hungry and need to eat, but Jesus during his temptation told Satan that “‘Man shall not live on bread alone… but on every word that comes from the mouth of God’” (Matthew 4:4).

Bread, physical sustenance, is what keeps the body functioning. But God’s word is what keeps us spiritually . . . and mentally . . . healthy and functioning properly. My go to for boredom, sadness, irritation, celebration––for sustenance should be God’s word first.

God does not want me to remain hungry — in any sense — but he does want my satisfaction to come from true fulfillment: Good, healthy, life-sustaining food for the body, and the bread of life and the living water for the spirit.

And our search for satisfaction is not always limited to food. We look for it in so many ultimately unsatisfying ways. As Alister Begg said in a February 13 devotion: “We will never be as satisfied in life as when we discover our ultimate reality in Christ.”

Likewise 17th-century mathematician and theologian Blaise Pascal said, “There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of each man which cannot be satisfied by any created thing but only by God the Creator, made known through Jesus Christ.”

Another person put it this way: “Trying to fill the God-sized hole in our hearts with things other than God is like trying to fill the Grand Canyon with marbles.”

So as we go forward, let’s try not to consume empty calories—both physically and spiritually.

Yesterday was April Fools Day, the day when we construct a feasible lie in hopes of luring in some unsuspecting fool into believing it’s true. If they bite, we get a good laugh at their gullibility. If they don’t, we vow to try harder next year.

But a couple of months ago, in his Sunday morning sermon, my pastor reminded us that there are far more serious consequences to being a fool.


The book of Proverbs has much to say about fools.

“A fool's lips walk into a fight, and his mouth invites a beating” (Proverbs 18:6).

“The one who conceals hatred has lying lips, and whoever utters slander is a fool” (Proverbs 10:18).

“Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his folly” (Proverbs 26:11).

A sobering picture for sure.

However, most of the proverbs center around a fool not listening to advice, and the very heart of the matter is Proverbs 1:7: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

The sermon centered on the book of Naham, but the story was an extenuation of the book of Jonah. In Jonah, the Ninevites (Assyrians) repented of their evil ways and God relented in his destruction of them. But one hundred years later by the time Naham arrived, they were back to their old ways, and now God’s message to them was one of destruction––total destruction. Let it be known that the Assyrian culture no longer exists.

The pastor went on to say that we live in a culture that is self-centered. A culture that caters to the individual, allowing each to redefine right and wrong in order to meet his or her own wants and desires, believing that if each of us can just get what we want, despite it being contrary to God’s instruction, then we will finally be satisfied.

But to believe so is foolish, and, if the Assyrians have taught us anything, will only lead to destruction. To not fear the Lord is foolish. To believe there will be no consequences is arrogance. And the consequences are dire, both in the short term and the eternal.

Let’s not be a fool.