Fondant

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2055:1-2&version=NIV

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+11:24-26&version=NIV

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+4:19&version=NIV

I admit.  I’m a little naive when it comes to cooking.  Actually I’m a lot naive.  I like to eat.  Cooking?  Not so much.  But I am learning.  Learning about different aspects of food.  Such as fondant.

One of the shows that Beth likes to watch is Food Network Challenge.  Especially when the challenge is a cake.  Each challenge consists of 4 teams of 2 people each.  These teams compete against each other to build the best cake.  The theme for the cake varies from challenge to challenge.  The best Halloween cake.  The best wedding cake.  The best Peanuts-themed cake, etc.  I was absolutely amazed at how creative these contestants are.  And all the equipment and technology that they employ.  Torches.  Air brushes.  Water features.  Lights.  Sounds.  You name it.

But the one aspect that practically every cake maker needs to master is fondant.  Fondant is a sweet, creamy sugar paste.  As such it is thick.  It is rolled out a lot like dough.  Think of it as clothing for cakes.  Fondant is absolutely indispensable when it comes to making specialty cakes.  The reason is that it supports the actual cake.  It keeps it together.  From falling apart.  Especially big cakes.  Cakes that have multiple levels and layers.  Another great feature about fondant is that it can be molded and shaped any way that is desired.  This is what allows the contestants to be so creative with their cakes.  It can also be painted to whatever color(s) desired.  Since I like eating cake I assumed that these designer-cakes would be the best-of-the-best.  Moist.  Tasty.  Delicious.

A couple years ago our daughter-in-law purchased this nice little cake for her daughter’s 1st birthday.  It looked pretty enough alright.  Two levels.  A big one on the bottom with a smaller one on top.  Decorated in white and pink.  Complete with a tiara on top.  The fondant that it was encased in made it look really pretty.  Then the cake was cut.  Because of its stiffness fondant doesn’t exactly cut like icing.  That’s OK.  You just need a really sharp knife.

So, here I am with this nice-sized piece of cake (I would say huge but what would that say about me?) and I take a big bite.  I don’t know that I can describe what happened next.  Surprise.  Shock.  Disbelief.  Anger.  The fondant tasted terrible!  It was hard.  Tasteless.  Gag-inducing.  Yeah, that about covers it.  I quickly spit it into my napkin (very discreetly, of course).  How could anything that looked so good taste so bad?  I don’t know.  But it takes the cake!  (I couldn’t resist the joke!)  Since that time I am not a fan of fondant.  Sure it makes a cake look good.  Even fabulous.  But I don’t want to eat it.  It’s like eating cardboard.  Or at least what I think cardboard would taste like.  Just give me old-fashioned icing on my cake.  Chocolate, of course!

In life, there are a lot of things that are the equivalent of fondant.  Boy, do they look good.  Attractive.  Things such as money.  Fame.  Power.  Beauty.  Possessions.  These are the kinds of things that are in most our advertisements.  These are the kinds of things that many people covet.  And work for.  Now, there’s nothing wrong with any of these things, in and of themselves.  The problem comes when we look to them for meaning.  Significance.  Purpose.  When we do this they leave a bad taste in our mouth.  They are nowhere near as satisfying as we envisioned they would be.  Then we are disappointed.  Disillusioned.  Discouraged.

The solution?  To opt for substance over style.  Substance is what remains long after the looks, and the excitement, and the newness have faded.  Substance is God.  He is very definition of substance.  When we have Him we have everything that we need.  Someone who gives us purpose.  Meaning.  Significance.  Substance also pertains to the things of God.  His Word.  Prayer.  Humility.  Holiness.  Acts of service. 

The reality is that not many people in our world want God.  Or the things of God.  All they want is fondant.  Excuse me but I think I'll skip that.  Just give me the cake.  This is all I want.  You see, I not only want to have my cake but to be able to eat it too.

Lord, every day I am confronted by the fondant of this world.  Things that look attractive.  And desirable.  Fulfilling.  Yet things that have no substance.  Things that, once I partake of them, leave a terrible aftertaste.  Help me to resist the allure of fondant.  Instead, help me to desire better things.  Things that have substance.  Help me to desire You.  And only You.  In Jesus' name, Amen.