Nobody makes a better salmon burger than I do! My family will tell you that I can be intense about my salmon burgers. The secret ingredient for my mouthwatering, flavorful salmon burger, is butter. In addition to fresh salmon, I use Old Bay seasoning, mayo, eggs, Creole seasoning, garlic salt, seasoned panko and most importantly – butter. After I have mixed all the ingredients together and made them into patties, I like to freeze them overnight or at least let them marinade for hours before grilling them. I have an entire process, and every part of that process is important to creating my delicious masterpieces.
I have tried making them in the past without a specific ingredient. I have made them without the right number of eggs, omitted the garlic salt or – even God forbid – omitted that butter. Every time, those salmon burgers did not come out as succulent as I anticipated. I have rushed through the process. Instead of letting the patties sit for a while, I have tried going straight from the mixing bowl to the grill and those burgers did not come out as juicy and well-formed as they could have been. The essential ingredients in the recipe are important, and the process is also important. Every step counts.
In the book of Romans, Chapter 15:13, Paul gives us the recipe for hope. It is not complicated. You do not have to run to the store to pick up missing ingredients. Everything you need for hope, you have inside you. When Paul speaks about God as, the God of Hope, he lists these three ingredients: Joy, Peace, and Trust. That is the key!
When we intentionally choose and seek out joy; unabashedly hold on to our peace and demand it of others in our presence; and when we fully put our trust in God, that is when we get hope. Joy, peace, and trust are the important ingredients necessary for ‘sweet hope’ to overflow in our lives.
Without joy, we would have ‘bland hope.’ Without peace, we would have ‘bitter hope.’ Without trust, we would have ‘underdone hope.’ But if we choose to hold on to our joy, get our peace back, and put our trust in God, we will have ‘mouthwatering flavorful’ hope.’ Amen.
Dr. Ron Bell
