Usually my husband is the pancake flipper. Cooking breakfast (and any other meal) is one of his specialties, which works out perfectly with my affinity for home cooked meals. This day, however, I took on the role as pancake flipper and was on my way to pancake perfection when my three year old questioned my flipping procedure that she had witnessed so many times before.
Why do the pancakes have to be flipped?
They must cook on both sides, I
responded.
But why do the pancakes have to be flipped?
The batter only cooks on one
side, so the other side has to cook, too. For the other side to cook, it must
be flipped over, I reasoned with her.
But why do the pancakes have to be flipped?
She obviously did not understand
the concept, despite showing her the difference between the raw side and the
cooked side. She just saw the flipping. And something about the flipping
intrigued her, so much so she could not see past it this particular morning.
After the tenth time, I assured her I just had to do it.
Why?
This word is intriguing. So much
can come out of this three letter word. Why did he do that? Why did she have to
go there? It can take you in to an analysis overload where questions outweigh
reason and slightest look has you wrestling,
Why has been rolling around in my
head lately. Why was the tree of knowledge in the middle of the garden? Why was
sin allowed to enter our bodies? And why is the wage of sin death? Why the
family unit comes after the fall of man?
Somewhere, someone has some
theological answers with some sort of biblical backing. But I like to think of
some fun reasons, too. And in the wonder and questioning and lack of
understanding, God reminds me to be still (Psalm 46:10). To praise him because
I do not understand because I was not created to know everything.
He knows the path of thunder and shut up the
sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb and made the clouds its
garment and wrapped it in thick darkness and fixed limits for it and set
its doors and bars in place and said, ‘This far you may come and no farther; here
is where your proud waves halt’? (Job 38).
Because he is God. He knows. He
is ways are not our ways. We do not understand why the flipping and cooking
occur though we watch it before our eyes as the minutes turn to hours and days
pass by.
God Moves in Mysterious Ways by
Jeremy Riddle fits neatly here. Have a listen.
God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform.
He plants His footsteps in the sea
And rides upon the storm.
Praying that your whys or hows or whens would draw you nearer to God and that you would praise the Creator as you learn to trust him. That you would see glimpses of the bigger picture and stand in awe at the works of his hands. Praying that you would see the importance of the role that you play in His piece and how you have been created for a specific purpose (Ephesians 2:10).
Here's to questions that lead to worship and praise and admiration.
