Sundae School

Have you ever tried NOT to think of something? Aggravating how it just keeps popping into your head, isn't it? Today for some reason, hot fudge sundaes popped into my head. (And yes, I'm on a diet, but I'm ALWAYS on a diet and haven't had ice cream in years.)

No matter how I tried, I found myself thinking about ice cream - vanilla ice cream - bathed in warm chocolate syrup and filling a cup to almost overflowing. My aunt and uncle used to own a Dairy Queen, so I'm no stranger to them. But in order to divert attention from the need for a sundae, I decided to see how they came to be.

What I found was that they were developed to break the law.

Around the turn of the century, "Blue Laws" were in place across much of the US. These were laws that governed what a person could not do on Sunday. They ranged from inconvenient to onerous. In some places, children's swings had to be tied up. In others, only books of a religious nature could be read. And in Virginia, soda drinks could not be consumed on the Sabbath.

One store owner grew weary of lost sales and decided to do something about it. He could serve ice cream, but not sodas, so he developed the idea of pouring hot fudge over ice cream. He was so tickled with himself and his creation, he named it the "Sunday", but changed the name when locals claimed it sacrilegious - so he changed it - to Sundae.

It reminded me again about when Jesus was confronted about Sabbath breaking.

Matthew 12:7 (Msg)
If you had any idea what this Scripture meant—'I prefer a flexible heart to an inflexible ritual'—you wouldn't be nitpicking like this.

Friends, following Jesus on the Journey is a lot less about following rules and a lot more about following Jesus closely. Just give God your heart, mind and soul, and dedicate everyday to making Him smile.

Now about that sundae......... :)

Grace!

David Wilson

This devotional is written by David Wilson, pastor of New Hope Baptist church in Valparaiso, FL. If you find you have received this via a forward and would like to receive it regularly, or find you no longer wish to receive it, drop me an email at dwilsonfl@earthlink.net and I'll make the change to the list. If you'd like to know more about New Hope, visit our website at www.newhopevalp.org . May God bless you.