The Mystery of the Missing Mac-and-Cheese

By Alexandra Copeland

There are a lot of things in life that can be substituted because we’re okay with not having the “real” thing. Our markets are loaded with ‘knock-offs’ or ‘dups’ of designer this or that. And truth be told, no one is worse off for saving their coins instead of spending gobs of money on something they won’t use or wear a whole lot. But there are a few great things that everyone should have in life, and never skimp on. The first is a no-brainer; everyone should have a great relationship with God through the Lord Jesus Christ. My husband would argue that somewhere close behind the number two spot should be a great recipe for macaroni-and-cheese. He’s not having it come out of a box and the cheese can’t come from a powdery mix. It’s got to be good old-fashioned, homemade from scratch, make you wanna shout it’s so good, decadently rich macaroni and cheese.  

I don’t do it often because it’s a little on the heavy side, but the other day, I made hubby’s favorite dish. It was as delicious as he hoped it would be, if I do say so myself. Checking off all three of his boxes, it had just the right amount of creaminess, cheesiness, and the consistency he loves. And because I know my family, I made plenty enough for leftovers the following day. I put it in a nice big container and stuck it in the frig. The next afternoon, my husband phoned me at work, and he was none too pleased. He said he’d searched the entire refrigerator, pulled everything out, and the mac-and-cheese was nowhere to be found. I couldn’t believe it. I distinctly remember wrapping it all up, and I had no clue as to what might have happened.  

When I arrived home, I immediately summoned him downstairs so we could get to the bottom of the missing mac-and-cheese. Again, I assured him there was plenty left, and I retraced my steps from the previous day. I then asked, “Are you sure you looked through everything in the frig, honey?” “YEP!” He replied, annoyed that I’d questioned his expert search and recover skills. Undeterred by his confidence, I walked over, opened the refrigerator, and voila! Top shelf, right next to a jar of his favorite pickles, and a bottle of mustard, sitting there as if it had been waiting all day for me to discover it.  

I put the leftover mac-and-cheese in the container we often use for salads. Even though we hadn’t eaten salad recently, hubby was about to miss the blessing on the inside because he made an inaccurate assumption about the outside. The mac-and-cheese was hidden in plain sight. This is a harmless mistake that many of us have made, but when it comes to our walk in Christ, sometimes the assumptions we make without using the wisdom of the Word can be extremely costly.  

Jesus Christ had been resurrected by the Holy Spirit and was instructing the disciples before his ascension to heaven. John 20:22(NLT) tells us, “Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” Jesus then instructed them that soon, they would need to tarry in the upperoom for the manifestation of the Gift they had just received. Acts 2:3 tells us that on the Day of Pentecost, what looked like flames of fire appeared and settled on each of them, and the disciples began speaking in tongues as an outward manifestation of their new inner reality. When people witnessed this extraordinary and wonderful thing, they assumed the disciples were drunk with wine. Acts 2:12-13(NLT) tells us, “They stood there amazed and perplexed. “What can this mean?” they asked each other. But others in the crowd ridiculed them, saying, “They’re just drunk, that’s all!” They were not drunk with wine. They were mesmerized by the bliss of what they had just manifested. The power was almost more than their human temples could hold.

2Corinthians 4:4(NLT) tells us how dastardly the devil can be. It says, “Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don't believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don't understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.” It seems incredibly odd that a person that is in the dark can’t see something as illuminating and beautiful as light, but this is exactly what the devil does to people. The Word tells us that he blinds them so they cannot see what is in plain sight. 

Jesus Christ said in Revelation 3:20(NLT), “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.” As we read this verse, we should be able to sense that our Lord and Master is calling us to attention. We’re otherwise minded, but he wants us to open our eyes so we will no longer be blind to the blessing that is in plain sight. He stands at the door of our hearts, knocking and waiting. He will not force his way in, but says IF we hear his voice, and IF we open the door, he’ll come in and share deliciousness with us.  

Our Heavenly Father offers us a precious Gift through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and the reality of the Gift is incomparable. Yet, so many of us miss him. We miss the comfort, truth, testimony, and witness of God’s glorious power because we deny the Gift. Even those of us that have been on this Christian journey a while will do this. Don’t let the enemy keep you from the treasure of the indwelling Holy Spirit simply because of your assumptions. There is a closeness and intimacy with God that only the Gift can extend. Let him into your heart through the Lord Jesus Christ. Then your eyes will be open to a greater truth because you’ll be anchored in the reality that your greatest blessing will always be on the inside.■ 

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved. 

 “The Mystery of the Missing Mac-and-Cheese”, by Alexandra Copeland. Copyright© 2020. All rights reserved. All praise and honor to God through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.