Reluctantly I have been watching ‘The Great British Bake Off,’ I say reluctantly, not because I don’t like the show, for it makes for great TV; and in time I will have my favourite bakers and be wowed by what amazing creations they will produce. I watch reluctantly because I struggle with the tension of the show: will someones hard work come to nothing as their creation fails with a ‘soggy bottom’? Who will be star baker? Who will be leaving the baking tent?
The bakers each bring their work before Paul and Mary for judgement. Will their offering be accepted or not? The faces of the bakers often nervous and anxious as they wait for the judgement to be pronounced. My favourite part of the show is watching these pensive faces begin to transform as a smile breaks out and joy covers the face as either Paul or Mary say ‘that tastes good’ or ‘well done, thats lovely and light.’ In that moment the look of the baker is transformed, the judgement they had been so anxious about has turned to joy and happiness.
It reminds me that often people can be anxious about the judgement of God. God is there as a strict judge or parent, just waiting to harshly criticise us for what we have done. Yes God is our judge and we should always be in awe of him, but his judgement is to bring justice – his way of doing things on earth as in heaven – this justice also includes mercy and love. Like the offerings of the bakers that are brought to Paul and Mary, do we rise to the challenges of life? Do we make the most of the raw ingredients we have been given? For just as when anxious faces turn to smiles in Bake Off, I wonder is the same true when we stand before God? Our anxiety about judgement is transformed into joy because God looks us in the eyes and tells us he loves us, that given the raw materials we started with, we have risen to the challenges of life. Sometimes we may feel like the star baker,other times we may be deflated and feel we have failed. But we do so in the knowledge that the one who is to judge us loves us beyond all measure.