What are you doing with your Cookie Recipe?

My dad just visited my family for 9 days! He loves sweets and I couldn’t wait to take him to all my favorite local bakeries. Each day, we crossed a bakery off the list. I saved my favorite bakery for last. I could almost smell the cookies as we traveled across town. I could hardly hear my dad speak because I was thinking about the taste of those cookies.

My dad and I ventured into the bakery and started loading up on all the treats….but wait….where are the melting moment cookies…I couldn’t find them anywhere. The baker told me some of the most dreaded words I have heard, “we removed that cookie from our menu.” What did my ears hear? I shook my head and said, “I am sorry, I don’t think I understood you. Can you make some of those great cookies and we will pick them up later….” The gatekeeper to these famous treats said, “I am sorry, but we cancelled that item from our menu.”

I proceeded with the next most logical question, “well can I have the recipe so we can make them at home?” The bakery staff went into a committee session to determine whether or not we could have the recipe.

Then, it happened. We were turned away and sent home - no cookies and no cookie recipe.

I was so disappointed. I thought what are they saving the recipe for anyway? Do they think that just maybe, someday in the future, they will be able to make those cookies and they would lose money because I could make them at home instead of buying them from the bakery?

As I told the Lord about my disappointment (He is my comforter), He started sharing with me that holding out the recipe is what I do sometimes.

I have these great gifts that He has given me, but I hold onto them…keeping them a secret – because someday, I might just have a great opportunity to use them – on a grander scale, of course. As time passes by, the recipe fades and we risk losing it – while we are saving for something bigger/better to come along.