Chef

The evening was quietly fading as we walked down Broadway in the midtown south section of New York.  As we wandered looking for a place to eat, the visual ambience and setting of an Italian restaurant caught our eye.  What followed exceeded any preconceived expectation that I had.  Dinner was simply wonderful.
I wish I could have extended an invitation to have you join me.  From the welcome at the door, to the waiter’s smile and explanation of the menu, to the banter with the chef behind the counter, everything was set for a incredible experience. As fantastic as these things were, the food took it over the top.  From the rich buffalo mozzarella wrapping a mixture of cream and even fresher mozzarella, to the pecorino to the roasted artichokes, the starters were a culinary treat. 
By the time we finished the starters I was stuffed!  Another round followed.  A bowl of fresh pasta seasons with bits of cauliflower and roasted cheese.  The first bite invited me to go beyond my limits.  It was wonderful, overwhelming, and fantastic!  I found myself struggling to continue, wanting to consume more with nowhere to put the food.
God’s meal can be like this.  I know it usually is not, yet it has the potential.  The difference at dinner was the chef.  His hand, his experience, and his touch made all the difference.  If we muster the courage to let God lead the way, we too can experience something wonderfully new.  God continues to remind us, “for as the sky soars high above earth, so the way I work surpasses the way you work, and the way I think is beyond the way you think.”  (Isaiah 55.9)
I was not invited to have dinner in the restaurant last night.  I did find myself enjoying something I never imagined.  The difference with God is this.  We have a standing invitation.  The dinner is prepared with God’s personal touch.  We can enjoy, if we choose.  Today I am going to seriously indulge without reservation.  It would be great if you joined me.