Encouraging Treats

I’ve always been fascinated with our digital camera’s macro mode. I like how it lets the camera focus on the main subject and sort of blurs the rest of the things behind or beside it. For the past blog entries that I’ve posted here at Encouraging Treats, I’ve used our digital camera to capture the memories I’ve had with the treats I’ve baked and cooked. However, to my dismay, I found out last Saturday night that our one and only camera wasn’t working anymore. I couldn’t believe it.

I was supposed to make my treat last Saturday night, but, I hesitated because I didn’t have a camera at that time. I remember telling God: “Lord, I can’t use my phone to take photos of the next treat. It doesn’t have a macro mode. It’ll only produce mediocre photos, and I can’t use mediocre photos in this food blog…” I sighed and eventually called it a night.

I didn’t realize how I stubborn I was until the next morning at church. Pastor Vince Burke shared about fixing our eyes on Jesus and focusing on Him in every situation. God convicted me while I was listening to His word because I clearly focused on the wrong thing. I focused on what was less important: having good pictures for this food blog.

After the service, I spent time with God and confessed what was in my heart. I apologized for my behavior and for focusing on the appearance and presentation of the food/treat, than on the ultimate encouraging treat: God’s Word.

I told God, “Sorry, Lord, that I didn’t want to blog this Monday just because I didn’t have a good camera. It was very foolish of me. I know that even without a camera and without photos of the treat, You could still use me and this blog to encourage others to know You more… if it’s Your will. Sorry, for not focusing on You. But, I thank You too, because I still have a camera phone to use.” :)

A few hours later, on our way home, I got a text message from my mom and she informed me that she had our camera fixed. I couldn’t believe my eyes! What a privilege! What an awesome treat! I immediately thanked God for His grace. Despite my stubborn and distracted heart, God still gave me another chance to use a good camera. More importantly, He gave me another opportunity to focus on Him and on His Word.

I spent the rest of the night preparing and cooking a batch of shrimp tempura. In the process of doing so, I decided to use both my phone and our camera (in macro mode) to take photos of the shrimps. It was interesting because I was able to compare the photos taken from both gadgets. Those taken using the camera (in macro mode) were indeed better and clearer than the blurry ones from my phone.

“Wow, Lord!” I told God. “Ang galing talaga ng macro mode sa camera! It really focuses on the main thing and blurs its surroundings. Because of this, I get to enjoy the clear, bright, and beautiful photos of the tempura! Thank You!”

Right then and there, I learned that God wasn’t only letting me appreciate the photos taken using the camera. He was also encouraging me to learn and apply this spiritual principle in my life as well: Just like how the macro mode in the camera allows the lens to focus on the main thing, we must fix our eyes too on the main thing. We must fix our eyes on Jesus.

It says in Hebrews 12:1-2

“…let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”

“We fix our eyes on Him, even if we are in pain.

We fix our eyes on Him, even when our hearts break.

We fix our eyes on Him, even if we stumble and fall.

We fix our eyes on Him, because He is in control.

We fix our eyes on Him, whose love for us never fails.

We fix our eyes on Him, whose mercies are new each day.

We fix our eyes on Him, whose grace will see us through.

We fix our eyes on Jesus, who is faithful, right, and true.”

-Yours Truly

Have we been fixing our eyes on Jesus?

By God’s grace, I know that we can.

And I pray that we won’t take our eyes off of Him each day. :)

Encourage yourself one treat at a time! :)