Microwave Faith

Do you know what I hate more than anything? Do you know what I loathe? What I can't stand to have to do? What makes my life sometimes seem unbearable? It's waiting. I hate waiting. Don't you?

Thanks to today's culture we don't have to wait for anything. You can go through McDonald's drive-thru to purchase your greasy cow and potatoes while paying your bills by punching buttons on your phone at the same time. Then, go home and find a Christmas present delivered by UPS that you bought online (the UPS man had to do more physical labor than you). Everything is about instant gratification. Music is bought through iTunes and books with a Kindle and then magically delivered instantly to your gadget. We don't have to wait for anything and so when we do, it's painful.

Perhaps that's partly what makes Christmas so great. It's the one time of the year that we want to slow down and wait. Do you remember being a child and how slowly time ticked away during this season? You couldn't wait for Santa Claus. Christmas movies and John Denver and The Muppets Christmas (best Christmas album ever--check it out on iTunes instantly) just added to the anticipation. My family had a day counter with mints, which made time go even slower. I miss being that excited about something.

There's something that happens to us while we wait though. God works best in you while you wait. I hate this because we live in a world of "instants" and I want a microwavable faith.

But God rarely works this way.

Saul remained at Gilgal, and all the troops with him were quaking with fear. He waited seven days, the time set by Samuel; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and Saul's men began to scatter. So he said, "Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings." And Saul offered up the burnt offering. Just as he finished making the offering, Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to greet him. "What have you done?" asked Samuel. 1 Samuel 13:7-11

Saul watched his troops leaving, so he took matter into his own hands. It's hard to blame him because when the Philistines are mustering up an enormous army, you need men to fight. But when impatience and fear drives your actions you better watch out! Saul's impatience was foolishness was disobedience towards a god who had proved himself in big ways to Saul. This mistake ultimately cost Saul his kingdom. All Saul had to do to be obedient was wait. Easy enough?

Christian, sometimes the most obedient and God honoring action you can do is nothing. Sometimes we are told just to wait.

God likes it when you have to wait. Saul's successor, David, had no problem waiting. David waited for decades to take over the throne. His reign over Israel was marked by patience. He was a man after God's own heart that God chose his family to birth Jesus. Is there a higher compliment? No. David was far from perfect. In fact, David's adulterous, murderous affair seems far worse than sacrificing an animal to God.

Christian, waiting stinks; but like anything good in life the longer you wait for it, the better. Take a look at anyone in the Bible--they all had periods of waiting. Abraham, the Hebrews, Moses, Jeremiah, Paul, for goodness sakes even Jesus had to wait! God uses that time to grow you and to prepare you for something greater. But if you allow fear and impatience to motivate you into action, then watch out! Tragically you will miss out on what God had planned for you.

Anytime you allow fear and impatience to drive your decision you are on the brink of disaster. For Saul, he lost his kingdom. What will it do to your life?

Question:
Have you ever let fear and impatience drive your decisions? How did it turn out?