I don’t believe that it is appropriate for a preacher to recommend a product, but if you ever come across Barilla Pasta Salad Dressing, I recommend it.  Since discovering this product, our family has spaghetti salad once or twice a week for dinner.  I usually prepare it in the afternoon to be served in the evening or at night to be served the following evening.

Two weeks ago, as we were coming home from evening worship I remarked that I would have liked to make spaghetti salad for the following evening, but I was just to tired to go through the motions.  My son Chris, who fancies himself to be a chef, said that he wouldn’t mind making it. 

When we arrived home, Chris got busy gathering together the ingredients.  I told him that he should rinse the cooked pasta in cold water before combining the ingredients.  I asked if he knew why he needed to rinse the pasta.  He answered correctly that it was to keep the spaghetti from sticking together.  I then watched as the spaghetti was placed in the boiling water and left Chris to finish the task.

The following evening we served ourselves.  As we were pulling the long strands from the bowl, I asked Chris if he had noticed that when I make the spaghetti salad that the strands aren’t as long.  He said yes and asked why that was.  I explained that I break the spaghetti into small pieces before placing it in the boiling water.  He said “Why didn’t you tell me last night?!”  I explained that it wasn’t a matter of what was right or wrong.  Some people prefer long spaghetti, some like it short.  He was making the spaghetti salad.  The decision was his.

Praise God for letting us make our own spaghetti salad!  What I mean is that God cares about us deeply.  If there is a decision between righteousness or wrongdoing, He has left us explicit instructions on which decisions to make.  However, I believe that He gives us freedom to make most other decisions.  The truth is that sometimes God might not have a particular preference as to which way we go.  If He does have a preference, He’s powerful enough to make it come about.  All of this applies even to those decisions that we may deem to be important.  It is when we make those “important” decisions, that we don’t like this arrangement.  It’s then that we would like to see a revival of divine inspiration.  To that thought I say, be careful what you wish for.

Acts 20
²²   And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there:
²³   Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me.

God made a decision for Paul to go to Jerusalem.  He also told Paul that bonds and affliction awaited him there.  Usually, when we want to relinquish a decision to God, what we desire is that God will direct us into the path that brings us the least pain or the most comfort.  We can see from Paul that this isn’t always the choice that God would make.  God has not promised the believer a life that is free from pain and turbulence.  What He has promised is that if we will make Him the primary consideration in our decision that He will work with us whether it brings us pain or comfort. (Rom 8: 28)