Jell-O Knees

FAITH:

“God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’ So we say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?’” Hebrews 13:5-6

Somewhere in the distance I heard a siren. Buildings loomed on either side of us and my pulse quickened each time we passed an unlit alley. I was a boy at the time and my family was attending a night service at a church located in one of the sketchier parts of New York City. We all know that as children, certain places and situations seemscarier than they might be for adults—so I felt a bit shaky—you know, like my knees were made of Jell-O. And, I wasn’t looking forward to going back to the car later that night.

After the church service, the pastor asked two of his deacons to escort us back to our car. These were two seriously big dudes. I felt no fear with a “church bouncer” on either side of us. I was sure they were larger and more intimidating than anything or anyone we would encounter.
Fear is a funny thing. It enlarges whatever we’re afraid of and shrinks our view of God. As Christians, we need to reclaim our view of God’s greatness by focusing on His presence, power, and protection when we are afraid.

I don’t know about you, but my fear tends to wither away when I remember that God is present everywhere, all the time. He has no boundaries. He is in New York City, east Mongolia, and the south of France, all at the same time! It’s clear that David had a great grasp of this reality when he said: “Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there” (Psalm 139:7-8). In the rest of that psalm, David affirms that whether it’s dark or light, morning or evening, or whether you are sleeping or awake, God is present.

It gets even better. Not only is God everywhere, but He is also all-powerful. He has unlimited power, and He delights in sharing it with you and me. If you are a follower of Jesus, you can access God’s power when you pray and ask Him to act on your behalf. You also draw on His power when you open the Word of God and discover how much He loves and cares for you, and how anxious He is to protect and help you. And you draw on the power when you allow the Holy Spirit to guide your thoughts, words, and actions. In 2 Timothy 1:7, we read, “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power.” Rest assured, God’s power can disarm any intimidating influence in your environment!

The combination of God’s presence and power make Him the greatest protector of all time. He alone has the power to keep you safe wherever you go, and He promises to never leave us or forsake us. If you’re walking in the light of that promise, you have the right to say, with confidence: “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”

As a kid on that dark street in New York City, I was imagining all sorts of things that man could do to me. But when those two guys walked us back to our car, all fear was gone! They weren’t God, but I’ve often thought that they did what God does for me every day of my life no matter where I am. Keeping God’s enduring presence, infinite power, and supernatural protection in mind will take the Jell-O right out of your knees—every time!

* When do you feel afraid? How can God’s presence, power, and protection calm your fears?
* Name some biblical responses to fear. Read Psalm 34:4; 1 John 4:18; for a hint. Practice using these responses when you are afraid. What do you think will happen over time if you use these responses consistently?

FRIENDS:
Father in heaven, our sight and our strength is so limited. And we are so often tempted to think that our well-being depends on what we can see or feel. Please help us in this day to look beyond this moment to the love of Your heart, to the suffering of Your Son, and to the promise of the home and future You are preparing for us. In Jesus' name, Amen.

In our Daily Bible Challenge the new books of the Bible for the month of August will be 1 Timothy, Proverbs and Ezra.

~1 TIMOTHY~
Watch a small boy follow his dad through the snow. He stretches to step where his dad stepped. Not an easy task. His small legs extend as far as they can so his feet can fall in his father's prints.

The father, seeing what the son is doing, smiles and begins taking shorter steps so the son can follow.

It's a picture of discipleship.

In our faith we follow in someone's steps. A parent, a teacher, a hero---none of us are the first to walk the trail. All of us have someone we follow.

In our faith we leave foot prints to guide others. A child, a friend, a recent convert. None should be left to walk the trail alone.

It's the principle of discipleship.

Timothy didn't walk the trail alone. He followed in the steps of Paul, his father in the faith. Paul knew he was following. He also knew the snow was getting deep. So he slowed his pace to help. He penned a letter to Timothy, giving him practical advice on how to lead a church.

As a young minister, Timothy was faced with all sorts of challenges. Step by step, Paul patiently instructs him, and in doing so, he instructs us.

A few questions to consider as you read. Who are you following? When you get where you are going, will it be where you intended? Also, what kink of trail are you leaving. If someone follows your steps, will they arrive at the right place?

The message of First Timothy urges you: Watch your step.

FOOD:

"And the Priest Fainted
ACCORDING TO TURKISH LEGEND, the Imam loved eggplant cooked with meat. But late one afternoon his wife discovered that she had no meat and the butcher was closed. So she collected her wits and created an eggplant dish substituting vegetables for the meat.

The Imam swooned over the heavenly aroma and ate portion after portion of the meal until he laid down in a stupor and could eat no more. When friends arrived and wanted to know what had happened to him his wife replied, "Imam Bayeldi," which means "the priest fainted," and so the dish was named.

Not all eggplants are bitter, and after salting, the slices still soak up large quantities of oil. I came more fully to understand the salting process after reading an article, "How to Cook Eggplant" by Stephen Schmidt in Cook's Illustrated, July 1993. After many experiments, the author's conclusion was that eggplant is extremely porous. When it is not salted and pressed it soaks up oil like a sponge.

2 egg plants, cut in half and the inside scooped out leaving only a little meat inside the peel
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
2 tomatoes, diced
4 cloves garlic, crushed
3 tablespoons parsley, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 c raisins or more to taste

Wash eggplants . Scoop out the insides chopping into small pieces about 1" square and leaving only a little with the peel to make a sturdy shell. Sprinkle salt and let stand in a colander for one hour. Rinse, squeeze as much moisture out as possible, pat dry.
Fry pieces over medium heat with a little oil for about two minutes.
In the same pan, saute onions, green peppers, one tomato and garlic until almost tender. Add additional oil if necessary. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Add raisins. Fill eggplants with the mixture. Top with lemon juice, sugar and remaining tomato. Drizzle with a little more olive oil. Pour chicken stock in the bottom of the dish.
Cover and bake at 350· for about 40 minutes. Serve hot or cold. Leftovers make an excellent sandwich filling.
*I started making this years ago when someone gave me some eggplant. I did it this way to disguise what eggplant really looked like. My children, especially my son Todd, really loved this.

FUN:

I hate it when this happens!!!