LIFE IN CHRIST & BLACK FOREST CAKE

Life in Christ and Black Forest Cake, what do they have in common? Both are rich and wonderful beyond measure :-)

Yesterday, a big red book came to light from the depth of our 'old book box'. I almost threw it out because it looked like a ledger without a title. But on its pages I discovered a mixture of old German recipes (some of my totally forgotten favorites from childhood) and bible study notes from long ago. I was glad for both and will share one of each with you today.

LIFE IN CHRIST - Colossians 2:6-15

Scripture: As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.

Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.

In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

Reflections – Christians are wealthy beyond measure:

We are not deceived by worldly teachings but can rely on what is written in the Word of God.

We know that wisdom and knowledge are found only in Christ, not in any of the many philosophies on offer in the world.

Christ is the bodily dwelling place of the Godhead, i.e. all that pertains to God.

He is the head of all principality and power.

He is the unwavering object of our faith.

He is our surety of a glorious life to come.

He is the source of spiritual life right here and now.

He lives in us!

We have been buried and raised with Him through baptism (in a symbolical way).

Our naturally corrupt, spiritually dead nature of rebellion against God has been dealt with in Him.

We have been made alive together with Him.

He is our root and sap, our source and sustenance of life.

All of our sins are forgiven.

In Him we are complete.

We are privileged to live under grace, not under the law.

The law was against us because no human being could ever perfectly fulfill it.

But Jesus fulfilled the law and thereby wiped out the requirements that had been against us, nailing them to the cross.

Let us therefore live in a manner that is worthy of all these blessings and always abound in thanksgiving!

BLACK FOREST CAKE – an old family recipe

Ingredients:

5 eggs, separated into whites and yolks

1 cup of sugar

1 cup of potato or corn flour

1 tablespoon or normal, white flour

4 rounded teaspoons of baking powder

2 tablespoons of good cocoa powder (van Houten is a good brand)

½ litre of whipping crème (can be thickened)

1 (or 2 if you want to indulge) glass of sour cherries (Aldi brand works well)

Preparation:

Place greaseproof paper across bottom of a 28 – 30 cm diameter springform (the one where the side can be removed by opening the clasp) and grease the bottom only – not the sides.

Heat oven to 200 degrees Celcius normal oven or 170 degrees Fan-forced.

Beat egg whites, adding sugar very slowly as it is being absorbed, until mixture is very stiff.

Add lightly beaten egg yolks and fold under very gently and carefully by hand – no stirring or further whipping.

Sift all flour, baking powder and cocoa over mixture and fold under quickly and carefully.

Baking:

Place into springform and bake approx. 20 – 25 minutes.

Remove from oven, let cool slightly, then remove the rim of the springform and gently lift the cake off the bottom with a cake lifter (or turn upside down onto wire wrack and lift off the bottom of the springform and pull off the baking paper).

Decorating:

When cool, cut the cake into 3 layers and dribble a little fruit liqueur (optional) on the bottom 2 layers.

With a knife, place a layer of thickly set fruit jam (cherry, strawberry or orange) over the bottom 2 cake layers – optional, but it keeps the cherries from making the cake soggy.

Then add cream and well-drained cherries onto the 2 layers and top with with the 3rd layer.

Finally, place a little more cream across the top and around the sides of the cake, grate dark chocolate over the top for garnish - and enjoy!

Blessings to you all,

Margaret