Banana Split Decisions/Pancake Love

Pancake Love

The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee.

                                                                                                …Jeremiah 31:3

            Two of our grandsons are with me during the day while on summer break.  A tall order of pancakes is requested from Micah and Jordan for breakfast.  One day 13 year old Micah makes them with me close by, learning to flip those cakes pretty good.  The next day the “almost eight” year old Jordan helps me with the batter depending on my help.  Just as we are ready to pour the batter on the sizzling skillet he says, “I think Grandpa really likes you a lot because of your pancakes.” 

            As a writer I wait for moments like this of pure innocence and sweet thoughts. This child feeling very grown up while hands are in the batter, expresses what is on his mind.  I sure love how the two boys feel about grandma’s pancakes; they think they are the best around.  Of course I too thought everything tasted better at my Granny’s house.

            I wonder if they would feel the same if I burned them one day or two?  They’d be forgiving once maybe.  What if I mistakenly forgot one of the ingredients and they come out more like hard plastic Frisbees? Would they still feel the same about them? No, and it might even change their thoughts about me. 

            “Grandma sure can’t make pancakes,” might be said in low grumbling. 

            “Mom can we stop for breakfast before going to Grandmas?” might be the next idea in their heads. 

            Our love for each other can change depending on circumstances.  Right now all these little things I do for Jordan makes his love stronger for me, but I might disappoint him and he might feel different one day, pancakes or not.  We are a fickle, capricious bunch in this human race and change from hot to cold as easily as night turns to day.

            God’s love is everlasting as Jeremiah points out when talking about the restoration of Israel.  As Gentiles, Christ loves us the same with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.  Nations all around knew Jehovah was the True God and feared Him.  Many followed but when the Jews rejected Jesus as their Messiah, God opened the door for all who believed, come to Him.  He loves with an unconditional, an absolute and total love unlike our artificial, pancake type love.

            Why then do we love God like Jordan does when the pancakes are made the way he likes them?  Then Grandma is the greatest.  God, we will love you as long as you keep those cakes coming, they’re not burned, and as long as the flavor is what we expect.  If your goodness changes, we don’t know if we can feel the same way about you anymore.

            Sound typical?  We treat our Heavenly Father this way all the time.  God’s love is everlasting, even when things aren’t the way we would have ordered them.  He still loves us with an everlasting love, not a “pancake kind of love.”

Father,

Please show me how to love you with a pure heart that you so deserve from me and let it not be a “pancake kind of love.”