Measuring is important sometimes

Posted on February 20, 2011 by Rev. Esther R. Scott

Here I sit on another blessed Rest Day (even though I know that Saturday was the original Rest Day.) God is good. Orthodox practioners rest on the rest of Creation, Christians rest on the day of redemption. Anywhoooo….

I decided today to bake a homemade, from scratch cake. I had the recipe in my recipe book for a long time and never made it. Actually, I am an excellent cook but I suck at baking. I have no idea why. I just was never interested in baking for some reason. I think I spent too much time on singing and listening to the radio all my life. In the good old days, we listened to and mocked the good voices like Diana Ross, Barbra Streisand, Chaka Khan, Gladys Knight, Patty Labelle, and the like. Today, poor kids, all they have to mock is young people who sing not from their diaphrams but their noses. Everybody now a day has the same voice, ever notice that?

Back to the cake…..

For years I tried to bake. Whenever I tried to make cookies, they came out crumbly. They were good but you couldn’t pick them up. When I baked cakes, they came out like rocks. I gave one to some deer in the cemetery one time and the deer turned away….that’s how bad my cakes are. No joking. It went across my mind that although I like to cook freehand, there comes a time where you have to use measurements. God made it that way. We go by our own ways too much and not God’s. I can throw together a bangin’ beef roast or some stew or chicken in any form. My mouth is watering right now. Yes, measurements are important at times. Those cute little measuring cups and spoon sets that you buy from Avon or the Dollar Store are not just for show. I got my bible and began to look up places where even God uses measurements. There are a lot of them and for time and space sake, I will only copy and paste a few.

Exo 26:2 The length of one curtain shall be eight and twenty cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits: and every one of the curtains shall have one measure.

Exo 30:25 And thou shalt make it an oil of holy ointment, an ointment compound after the art of the apothecary: it shall be an holy anointing oil. Exo 30:35 And thou shalt make it a perfume, a confection after the art of

the apothecary, tempered together, pure and holy: Exo 37:29 And he made the holy anointing oil, and the pure incense of sweet spices, according to the work of the apothecary.

Num 35:5 And ye shall measure from without the city on the east side two thousand cubits, and on the south side two thousand cubits, and on the west side two thousand cubits, and on the north side two thousand cubits; and the city shall be in the midst: this shall be to them the suburbs of the cities.

Deu 25:15 But thou shalt have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure shalt thou have: that thy days may be lengthened in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

1Ki 6:25 And the other cherub was ten cubits: both the cherubims were of one measure and one size.

2Ki 7:1 Then Elisha said, Hear ye the word of the LORD; Thus saith the LORD, To morrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.

2Ki 7:16 And the people went out, and spoiled the tents of the Syrians. So a measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, according to the word of the LORD.

1Ch 23:29 Both for the shewbread, and for the fine flour for meat offering, and for the unleavened cakes, and for that which is baked in the pan, and for that which is fried, and for all manner of measure and size;

2Ch 3:3 Now these are the things wherein Solomon was instructed for the building of the house of God. The length by cubits after the first measure was threescore cubits, and the breadth twenty cubits.

Psa 39:4 LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am.

Isa 40:12 Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and

meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?

Eze 4:11 Thou shalt drink also water by measure, the sixth part of an hin: from time to time shalt thou drink.

Eze 4:16 Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, behold, I will break the staff of bread in Jerusalem: and they shall eat bread by weight, and with care; and they shall drink water by measure, and with astonishment:

Eze 45:3 And of this measure shalt thou measure the length of five and twenty thousand, and the breadth of ten thousand: and in it shall be the sanctuary and the most holy place. Eze 45:11 The ephah and the bath shall be of one measure, that the bath may contain the tenth part of an homer, and the ephah the tenth part of an homer: the measure thereof shall be after the homer.

Mat 7:2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

Luk 6:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

Now, from the text above, I see that even God loves it when we measure things! Cities were measured, food was measured, towns were measured, the Angels on the arc were even measured. Their wings had to be a certain measure. The Great City to come is going to be measured. Pharmaceuticals are measured. (Just like today.)

So, I’ve taken it upon myself to measure this cake today and not depend on what I thought was a good ingredient. I licked the spatula after mixing it in my mixer and the spatula was da bomb! Made the fresh pot of Folgers. (35

minute pause)…..

And by the way, the cake was great! God is good. Rev. Esther R. Scott

aka

Rev. Essie