What does "Bake what you want to bake" teach about preparation for worship? Setting the Scene God had just begun feeding Israel with manna in the wilderness. Each morning they gathered enough for that day—except on the sixth day, when they were to collect twice as much. Moses then relayed the LORD’s words: “Bake today what you want to bake, and boil what you want to boil; then save whatever is left and keep it until morning.” (Exodus 16:23) This simple cooking directive carries profound lessons on preparing our hearts and lives for worship. The Divine Instruction • Work while it is still “today.” • Finish the work completely before the Sabbath begins. • Trust that God will preserve what is prepared. • Enter the Sabbath with no unfinished business tugging at the soul. Principles for Preparation • Intentionality – God did not leave preparation to chance; neither should we when approaching worship. • Completion – The people were to “bake” and “boil” fully, not half-bake and finish later. Worship flourishes when weekday tasks are brought to closure. • Margin – By doing double the work on the sixth day, Israel enjoyed margin on the seventh. Worship suffers when life is packed edge-to-edge. • Faith – Storing manna any other day resulted in rot (Exodus 16:20), yet on the Sabbath it miraculously kept fresh. Obedience opens the door to God’s sustaining power. • Sanctity – The Sabbath was “a day of solemn rest, a holy Sabbath to the LORD” (Exodus 16:23). Preparation protects that holy space from profane intrusion. Practical Applications for Today • Plan ahead—meals, clothes, logistics—so Sunday morning is free from scramble. • Tithe time as well as money: finish essential work early so worship is unhurried. • Set spiritual expectation on Saturday night—reading Scripture, quieting technology, resting the body. • Trust God with what remains undone; lay it aside rather than carrying it mentally into worship. • Preserve the Lord’s Day rhythm by keeping necessary work to a minimum the rest of the week. Supporting Scriptures • Genesis 2:2-3—“God rested on the seventh day… and sanctified it.” • Exodus 20:8-11—“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.” • Mark 2:27—“The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” • Hebrews 4:9-11—“There remains, then, a Sabbath rest for the people of God… let us make every effort to enter that rest.” Key Takeaways • Preparation is worship’s front door; we step through it when earthly tasks are finished in faith. • God honors deliberate, complete preparation by preserving what we place in His care. • A rested, uncluttered heart is free to focus on His glory, not on unfinished chores. • “Bake what you want to bake” still speaks: handle necessities beforehand so the gathered church can feast on the Bread of Life without distraction. |
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