Eat
patat.
“What?!”
Eat
patat.
I
recognized that whisper as the voice of God, but surely I was mixing
in my own words or desires; God couldn't possibly be asking me to
break my fast and eat patat,
especially when it sounded so good... definitely a temptation; a test.
What's
wrong? Why won't you do it? What are you waiting for?
“Well,
I can't. I'm fasting. It's tempting, but the answer is no.”
It
wasn't a suggestion, Stephanie. I am telling you to go order patat.
I want to share it with you...
Absurd.
Outrageous. A God who wants me to order French Fries... really?!
“Fine.
I'll do it. But I'll have You know that I'm not to blame for
breaking my fast! This wasn't my idea, but Yours!” (Indignation).
(Smile).
I
ordered a plate of hot, crispy French Fries, with a glob of
mayonnaise on the side, and took a seat on the sand, in plain view of
the sea. The waves crashed onto the shore in rhythmic synchronization, soothing to my restless soul, while the sun shone brightly in the blue sky, making the water sparkle and shine. I gave thanks and put the first salty, deep-fried chunk of goodness into my mouth, all the while wondering why God had asked me to eat...
Don't
you see? It's not about the food. I wanted
to show you that I know what you want... and I care. It's My
pleasure to give you good things. I am for you, not against you. My
desire is to bless you; what's on your heart matters!
Well,
the deepest longing of my heart isn't exactly a plate of French
Fries, but I can see where this is going...
“Then
why the fasting?”
The fasting was a call for you to come to Me. It's not supposed to be something you do out of duty, but a deep thirst for more - a holy dissatisfaction. I
want you to desire Me more than you desire indulging yourself. I
want to be more important than food. You wouldn't have come here
today if you hadn't set aside special time for Me. You would have
been too busy, and I wouldn't have been able to show you that I care
about your heart...
It's
true. I put off fasting because who really likes to go without
food?! I finally gave in, and when I woke up today, I followed that
whisper in my heart to go to the beach. “We're not in tropical
paradise here, God” was my response, but the whisper in my heart
kept calling me to the shore. On a whim, I decided to follow it;
after all, I was fasting and had no other plans. The five hours I
spent at the beach were like a tropical vacation to my soul. What I
really needed was just to connect with my Creator. To stop and
listen; to know that He cares about my heart. I didn't leave the
country. I wasn't gone overnight. All I had to eat or drink was a
simple plate of patat.
My “vacation-in-a-day” cost a grand total of 15 euros and 20
cents, yet I learned a truth that I won't soon forget, and my soul
feels refreshed! God never ceases to surprise me... French Fries.
He cares about my heart; and what I want matters to Him!
“Seek
first the Kingdom of God, and all these things will be added unto
you.” (Matthew 6:33)
