Sometimes My Cake Melts in the Rain

Sunset

April 2011

Psalm 31:9 NIV

"Be merciful to me, O LORD, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and my body with grief."

 

Leigh and I stretched out on the living room floor side by side in our sleeping bags. It was well past midnight. My transistor radio whined the latest hit melancholy tune. I could just make out the words. 

“MacArthur's Park is melting in the dark. All the sweet, green icing flowing down. Someone left the cake out in the rain. I don’t think that I can take it. 'Cause it took so long to bake it. And I'll never have that recipe again. Oh no.”

I stayed awake trying to figure out why she couldn’t bake the cake anymore. I also thought she should come in out of the rain. I wondered why I didn’t understand the song. Maybe eighth graders don't know everything.

Of course, there was plenty I didn’t understand that night, but I related to the sad song. It matched my mood.

Leigh and I had spent most of the evening talking about issues that confused us.

Today I had "hosted" a party. I had sent invitations to many people and Leigh and I baked brownies, cookies and a cake for everyone. We bought soda pop and arranged the living room to accommodate our friends.

But an hour before the party, one after another called me. They couldn’t come. Some didn’t call at all. By the hour the party arrived, Leigh and I had two tables' worth of sweets to eat by ourselves.

I was sad. I faced disappointment, confusion and a few tears, but if you are going to have a bad day, it’s nice to have your best friend with you.

She lifted me up and took my thoughts away from the pity party I decided to have in place of the other party.

Disappointment is a part of life. Until a few years ago, I never really considered how much the Lord can relate to our personal pain in life.

Jesus was disappointed with his disciples when he asked them to stay awake while he prayed in the garden. He must have felt heartsick and alone and needed his core group of friends, yet they fell asleep—and not just once!

How sad.  They of all people should have understood how important it was to be with Jesus at that hour of night.

People disappoint each other. That's just how life is. None of us gets through life unscathed from hurt.

So Jesus understands our sorrows and our hurts. He experienced the same pain.  He is always with us and never deserts us in our time of need.  

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Thank you, Lord, for understanding my pain and easing it. Thank you for lifting me up when I am down.