dutch oven cleansing

(originally written December 15, 2010)

I made chili on Saturday.  There’s a recipe I’ve been using for several years now and we love it. It makes so much that I have to use my really large dutch oven.

The problem is that I’m not supposed to use my particular pot on my stove top.  I have a glass top appliance and it doesn’t work well with my Le Creuset.  In fact the manufacturer’s instructions indicate  that I should not cook with it on my stove.

Well, I don’t like those instructions.  Why should I not be able to use my favorite pot?  Its ridiculous.  So on Saturday, I did it anyway.  again.  I made my chili in the Le Creuset dutch oven.  And do you know what happened?  The same thing that always happens.  I’m experienced, you see, because my pot is probably 7 years old.

I scalded the bottom of my favorite pot.  After 7 years and knowing better – I chose to do the very thing that I know not to do.  During the early part of the chili making I found that the bottom was already dark black and burnt – which forced me to finish the chili in the crockpot.

The Le Creuset dutch oven was a lovely Christmas gift several years ago from my sweet husband who knows how much I love to cook.  He gave it to me on a year when we didn’t have a lot to spend – it is precious because it was such a sacrificial gift.   As I stood at my kitchen sink, looking at the mess I had created I got a bit choked up because I was afraid that I had ruined my precious pan.

The worst part about this situation is that I can never get it clean – I have to call my husband in to scrub.  Its a bit embarrassing to let him see that I have disrespected His gift.  But when I asked him to clean it, he wasn’t even surprised. I mean, seriously, how could he be after 7 years of this pattern?   He just rolled up his sleeves, pulled out the Cerama-brite and my pot was clean in a few minutes.

As I stood and watched him scrub, I was reminded of Paul’s words.  (this is my paraphrase) – “The things I know to do, I don’t do.  The things I know I shouldn’t do – I do them.” My own life choices are just like my decision to cook in the wrong pot.  I sin.  a lot.  I do stuff that I know not to do all the time.  But there is good news.

Matthew 1:20-21 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

Many years ago, God sent a very precious gift.  He gave us His son, knowing full well we would continue to sin, needing a Savior.  He knew we would insult Him by sinning again and again in spite of His Son’s gift of life.  How often I go to Him, asking Him to forgive me again, needing Him to cleanse my heart.  With patience and love in just moments my heart is made new.

He is faithful to His promise.

1 John 1:9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for graciously caring for me, for forgiving my sin time and again.  If it weren’t for your love, my heart would be like the bottom of my grimy, greasy, burnt up dutch oven.  May I never forget the compassion you have shown to me.

amen.