June 27: Of O-makase and Dancing Shrimp

2 Kings 10:32-12:21

Acts 18:1-22

Psalm 145:1-21

Proverbs 18:1

O-makase (oh-muh-KAH-say): a Japanese phrase that means "entrusted", or"respectfully leaving another to decide what is best".  Often used in sushi restaurants, where the diner lets the chef to pick the menu, and the chef prepares a meal using his greatest skill and his finest, freshest fish.  In o-makase, the diner gets the best the chef has to offer.  

Why would a customer surrender the meal to the chef? Simply put, the diner knows the chef - knows chef isn't just a chef, he's a MASTER.  The diner trusts chef, however strange the food (odori-ebi, I'm looking at you) or the surroundings (hello, Ginza subway station).  And the chef gives the diner his best.  

As much as I love my sushi, it isn't the best o-makase out there.  For a far better o-makase "entrusted experience", look no further than the menu presented in Psalm 145.

First, we get to know the Master - by word of mouth, at the very least.  "One generation commends Your works to another; they tell of Your mighty acts…of the power of Your awesome works…Your abundant goodness."  Having gotten to know Him, we know we can entrust ourselves to Him.  "The Lord is trustworthy in all He promises, and faithful in all He does."  And when we do that, what does He do?  Verse 19 - "He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him"; and verse 15-16 - "The eyes of all look to You, and You give them their food at the proper time.  You open Your hand, and satisfy the desires of every living thing."

That isn't just a perfect o-makase meal; that is a perfect o-makase relationship, a perfect o-makase life.  Like I said, though, sometimes it doesn't seem to make sense as it is happening - the odori-ebi mentioned above is raw shrimp so fresh it wiggles - "dances" - in your mouth as you eat it.  

It certainly wouldn't have made too much sense to Joash, who had to stay hidden in the temple for six years (which kinda puts our three month quarantine into perspective). But Joash, and Jehosheba who hid him, put their trust in the Master.  And the Master prepared such a feast of a life that Joash became king, at the age of seven.  

It might not have made sense to Paul in Corinth, where he was persecuted as he preached.   But Paul entrusted himself to the Master, who told him "Do not be afraid…I am with you".  Paul continued to preach, and we read "Crispus…and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard Paul believed and were baptized."  What a feast of salvation the Master served - because Paul trusted.  

The last few months haven't been very easy.  The strain of the pandemic, on work, on plans and prospects, even on marriages - would not seem to make sense, coming from the Master.  When we doubt, the choice is ours - surrender to the doubt, or remember the Master and His reputation.  If we choose the latter, we can then sit at His table for the o-makase feast of a life He wants to give us.  

Father, the choice is clear, but not always easy.  Give us the wisdom and the strength to choose to know You, to trust You, and to sit at the feast of a life You have prepared for us.