“Make lemonade,” That’s what they say. When God gives you lemons, make lemonade. It’s certainly a cute phrase, usually accompanied with a knowing grin and a nod of the head. Both motions are designed to convey to you that the speaker is familiar with your pain. On the surface it seems simple enough, just take that hardship or burden and squeeze it for all it’s worth. Get every bit of goodness you can out of it and then sit back and enjoy a nice refreshing cold beverage. Delicious right?
We have a dwarf lemon tree in our back yard, heavy and absolutely bursting with fruit. This is true almost every year, but with all the rain we’ve had this year, we’re experiencing a bumper crop of lemons. My wife has been giving bags and bags of lemons away all year and cannot keep up with the tree’s production. Ever since I was a kid, I have enjoyed the sour taste of a nice tart lemon, that kind that makes you shake your head and make that strangled pucker face, where your lips want to crawl down your throat. As fun as that can be, lemonade is not really satisfying until you doctor it up to your taste with something sweet.
Pretty simple solution for lemons, but where does one find the sweetness when the topic takes on a more serious tone? How do you sweeten a financial crisis, a job loss or a serious diagnosis of a loved one or a young child? These are the lemons that really make us pucker and look about for answers. These sour moments can be devastating if we are ill prepared. God has gifted us with the sweetest ingredient ever made. He has promised to shelter us beneath His wing and carry us though our sour sorrow-filled journeys, lifting our spirits as He shoulders our burdens. We need to remember that He who makes the lemons also makes the honey and our ultimate satisfaction is more than guaranteed.
"And I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing with milk and honey." Exodus 3:17
Loved this work, Doug. Making the most of every day and every circumstance is my philosophy too!
ReplyDeleteI never thought of it that way, but sure makes sense! Good work.
ReplyDeleteI am thirsty, thirsty to read God's Word to quench my soul. I love this devotional and its application and I love your writing. I hope you will include me in your generousity and bring me some lemons!
ReplyDeleteDoug, I just love it, we should all make lemonade. Keep up the good work and thanks for your support. Gary
ReplyDelete