Micro-wave Faith
Quick fixes are in.
As little effort as possible and instant gratification are
the in-things these days.
We have remote controls to operate almost anything we own, microwaves
to heat our food in seconds and cook it in minutes. We have hi-speed internet that eliminates almost all waiting when we sign
on or go from website to website (I find myself tapping my foot impatiently if I have to wait more
than a few seconds for my computer to respond to a command).
Because of the impatience of drivers, the roads are becoming
more and more hazardous.
Waiting has almost become the ultimate sin (except in Doctor's
offices, but that is only because physicians are elevated to God status--by themselves and almost everyone else).
So, The roads are becoming more and more hazardous,
Due Time...?!!!
When exactly is that?
There are things that simply will never occur at the high
speeds our technological society has conditioned us to expect.
Babies will not grow or mature any faster (although modern
parents are doing everything in their power to transform their toddlers into miniature adult geniouses at light-speed).
There is no short-cut to growing from a baby to an adult Christian
either.
Growth requires a healthy diet (the Word of God), and the
experience to know how to handle the Word requires nothing less than time.
Most of us come to the Lord with baggage in one form
or another (wrong ideas, unhealthy mental/emotional defenses, impaired emotional development due to attempting to deal with
life's problems our way [or the way our parents taught us, or the way the popular culture teaches us--Oprah and Dr. Phil
do not have all the answers you know]).
Some of us come to the Lord with physical health problems,
financial difficulties, relationship or marriage problems.
God is able, even willing, to give us miracles in all these
areas. That is always a possibility, and we should never--ever--rule that out.
If we truly need a miracle--ask for one.
But the probability is, that, in most things, God
will allow us to work out our own deliverance (with fear and trembling--[the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom]).
Now I am not talking about self sufficiency, or the, "God
helps those who help themselves", sort of thing.
I am talking about acknowledging God in all of our
ways, so he can direct our paths--that means obedience to everything we understand about the Word of God
(and if we don't understand much of it--to make it a priority to get understanding--Proverbs 4:7).
I am talking about "prospering our souls" (3 John 1:2).
Jesus said, "be doers of the Word and not hearers
only."
When he said that, he was clarifying the fact that he
is no prescriber of quick fixes.
There is no such thing as remote control, hi-speed or microwave
faith. God moves fast. He travels on the wings of the wind--but faith must be developed--and that takes
time.
Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.
But if we are hearers only and not doers--don't expect
faith to grow...
No matter how much time we give it.
