When I started in missions, the way you communicated was through a pay phone or a letter.
I know, some of you do not even know what that is!
I remember a long time ago, writing a letter, rolling it up, and sending my trusty carrier pigeon off on his journey. (Ok, slight exaggeration)
Yes God is ultimately the author of technology and innovation, but I think He still has a soft spot for things which take longer.
In the Bible, we know Him as a supernatural God. He parted the Red Sea, spoke through a donkey, and performed countless other miracles.
Yet, he is still the God of “snail mail”. In other words, He loves things that involve a process and take time.
We curse the microwave and the drive-through for being too slow. God, however, enjoys the slow cooker.
Being content with the slowness of the process is difficult in a society where we have become accustomed to immediate results. Everyone is in the pursuit of a faster and easier life.
Many nationalities often ask, “What do Americans do with all the time they save?” (Good question, isn’t it?)
I think all too often we carry this passion for instant results into our walk with Christ. We expect change now! The longer it takes, the more discouraged we become.
Many of us become frustrated when we have not overcome certain sins or struggles in our lives.
- We wonder if we lack faith.
- Perhaps God desires to do it for others but not for us?
- Doubts and questions plague us until we either give up or pretend they are not there.
But God on the other hand is so into the journey, I think God might have a dial-up internet connection rather than high-speed. His phone might even be an old “spin the number and wait for it to come all the way back around” relic.
What no high-speed? No 3G Smartphone?
Not so much.
God waited at least 4000 years to bring Jesus into time and space.
God made Israel fight long and hard to take the land, rather than just wiping the bad guys out. (Deuteronomy 7:22).
God does not give out lottery tickets. Here’s how he put it in Proverbs 13:11,
“Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.”
Little by little? How about fast and easy?!
You see, God is a God who values the process. He desires to journey in relationship with His people. He wants us to rely on Him as we walk through this life.
We may get a miracle or two along the way, but more than likely we will have to hand write a letter, mail it by the slow boat, and sit back and enjoy the journey.
Take a deep breath. God is not in a hurry, why are we?
In what area of your life do you feel like you need to start trying to appreciate the process more?
This post originally appeared as a guest post on Sammy Adebiyi’s blog; “How Much Does God Weigh?”. Click Here to see the original.