Whoever hears these words of Mine and does them, will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.
Matthew 7:24 NLV
I didn’t plan to bake a pie with a cracked crust. In fact, I hadn’t planned to bake a pie. . .at all.
I was on deadline for a book and baking a pie was the last thing on my to-do list. But after staring at the laptop screen for hours on end, I finally decided I needed to do something more creative. Something that involved physical movement.
Coconut Cream Pie, Anyone?
I recently promised a friend that my next baking project would be a Coconut Cream Pie. I told her that I would give it to her family. So, in the middle of my crazy work day I stopped and baked a pie.
If you’ve been following me for any length of time you know that pies are my nemesis. It’s not the filling in the pie that eludes me. . .it’s the crust.
I have my Mama’s crust recipe but every time I bake the crust in advance it never works out for me. I recently purchased some pie weights to help with this.
This time I knew I had a frozen pie crust in my freezer so a quick easy Coconut Cream Pie would be easy to pull off. But I also knew something else: that crust had a crack in it. I noticed after I got it home from the store. Ugh.
A Cracked Crust. . .Now What?
I decided to go ahead and fill my pie on top of the cracked crust. I know, but I was in a hurry. (Did I mention the deadline?)
The split in the crust got worse as it baked. A lot worse. And yet, I persisted. I added the filling and the topping to that pie, just as if it had a proper foundation holding it all together.
Cutting into the Pie
When it came time to slice the pie, I knew I had to tread carefully. I needed a nice-looking slice for my blog post, something that cried out, “Make this pie!”
I strategically cut where I thought there were no cracks. I somehow got that piece of pie out without it crumbling (thank You, God).
But when I sent the pie home with my friend, it went with a warning:
Caution! Caution! Cracked Crust!
She didn’t seem to care. In fact, she was more interested in the filling than the crust. But I knew the truth: a pie that isn’t structurally sound will create a mess when sliced.
Life is like that, too.
If you don’t have a solid foundation, if there are cracks at the very core of your life, everything can destabilize in a hurry. And let’s face it, cracks only get worse as life bakes us.
Maybe this is why God says to build your house on the rock. The rock is a solid foundation. It’s the safety zone. It keeps your world from crumbling when the slicing comes.
Seasons of slicing will come. They always do. The cuts can run deep. The pain can seem extreme. But if your foundation is sure, you won’t have to fall to pieces every single time. You can rise above the trauma and say with confidence:
My hope is built on nothing less
than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
but wholly lean on Jesus Name.
On Christ the solid rock I stand
all other ground is sinking sand
all other ground is sinking sand.
(On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand)
Core Strength
My Coconut Cream Pie was lovely on the outside, if I do say so myself. No one who saw the pictures realized what a hot mess it was at its core.
But I knew. And that knowledge brought concern.
Maybe you’ve done a great job of hiding your core issues from people, too. Everything looks just fine on the surface.
Remember, friend: it’s never too late to stabilize your core. Let God be your foundation. All other ground really is sinking sand.
About the Author
Janice Thompson is an author, baker, and all-around mischief maker! She has overcome a host of baking catastrophes, including a toppled wedding cake, to learn more about the baking process. Janice has published over 150 books for the Christian market but particularly enjoys writing recipes and baking devotions. To learn more about Janice or to drop her a note, visit her About the Author page.
Kikelomo
Sunday 20th of November 2022
Thanks so much for sharing. God bless you ?
booksbyjanice
Tuesday 22nd of November 2022
You're welcome!