Perfect Cheese Cake - Perfect Timing

Today, I would like to focus on a passage found in I Samuel. It's the story of Hannah and the birth of her son, Samuel. Hannah was married to Elkanah and was deeply troubled because she was unable to have children. In I Samuel, Chapter one, we find Hannah's dilemma unfold as she continues to pray and ask God to give her a child.

She is praying in view of the Priest, Eli where the text picks up in verse 12:

12 As she kept on praying to the LORD, Eli observed her mouth. 13 Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk 14 and said to her, “How long are you going to stay drunk? Put away your wine.” 15 “Not so, my lord,” Hannah replied, “I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the LORD. 16 Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.” 17 Eli answered, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.” 18 She said, “May your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast. 19 Early the next morning they arose and worshiped before the LORD and then went back to their home at Ramah. Elkanah had relations with his wife Hannah, and the LORD remembered her. 20 So in the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel,[b] saying, “Because I asked the LORD for him.”

Here we find Hannah in a desperate situation. She is so visibly troubled by her barrenness, that the Priest mistakes her despair for drunkenness.

Notice in the text it says, (Verse 20), "So in the course of time, Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son". The scripture does not give us the exact amount of time that Hannah waited in between her encounter with the priest and when she actually became pregnant. It could have been a minute, a day or months.

Have you ever felt desperate for God to answer your prayers? Have you prayed and prayed and seemingly God is not responding? I think we've all felt this way at one time or another.

I think many times when we pray and it seems like nothing happens, we mistake having an immediate result with whether or not God is moving. God is always working on our behalf for good. II Samuel, 22:31 says, ""As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him". God's timing is flawless. The preparation / process is as important as the outcome. Many times, we just want the outcome!

My father is an expert baker. Anyone who has eaten one of his famous cheesecakes knows this to be true. I have his recipes and have attempted baking his cheesecakes a few times. However, they never quite taste like his! I couldn't figure out why my baked goods were falling short until I spent time with my Dad and baked a cheesecake together. Dad removed the eggs, butter and cream cheese the night before baking to make sure they are the right temperature. He measures each ingredient perfectly in the measuring cup. The spring pans are methodically painted with shortening and flour to ensure that nothing sticks. The oven racks are placed at the exact height along with a container of water which makes sure that the cheesecake bakes evenly. The cooling process is apparently important in the overall texture of the cheesecake. As we did each of these steps together, I would marvel and say, "Really? This matters??". He would smile and say, "Yes, all of this matters". The preparation is as important as the outcome.

When God knows that my heart is mature and ready to receive the answer to my prayers, He answers. When everything is aligned in the will of God to act and answer, He does. God looks at the bigger picture, the people and situations involved and acts perfectly on behalf of the greater plan. In my shortsightedness, I don't understand why I have to wait for an answer, but when the answer finally comes, I always understand perfectly. And, just like enjoying a piece of my dad's cheesecake, I'm always thankful for the process in the end. The preparation is indeed as important as the result.

Philippians 1:6 says, "being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus".

Stephanie Henderson