He Said -- Stick a Fork in Me, I'm Done!
By: Eddie Jones
With me? He's patient with me? How about I'm patient with Him? Yeah, that's right Big Boy, I'm talking to you. Glaciers form and melt in the time it takes you to.....
Oops, sorry, Lord. For a moment there I had you confused with the name-it-and-claim-it god sold by the power of positive-possibility-preachers who leave their debt ridden believers broken and despondent after they've fleeced their flock. Did I just say that out loud?
Last night my wife tried to cook a turkey. She put the bird in the oven and set the temp on 350 degrees. Later, as I was cleaning up the kitchen, I saw that he oven was still on, so I cut it off. When I looked inside I noticed the turkey, so I turned the oven back on and did what every good husband does.
I kept my mouth shut.
When we got ready to go to bed, my wife checked on the turkey - I'm back to talking ab out the bird in the oven, now - but it wasn't done, so she set her clock to get up every half hour.
Now me, I'd have tossed that turkey. No bird is worth losing sleep over. But not my wife. She wasn't going to chunk a turkey just because her husband was an idiot.
A few months back I asked God this question. "Does the extravagance of your blessings ripen with time, and if so, is this waiting and wishing a season of blessing? Is my impatience a reflection of my small faith? Will I be embarrassed when, at last, you answer my prayers?"
That turkey stewed a long time in its sauce. I've been stewing this week, too. Looking in the mailbox for a missing manuscript, listening for the rumble of the FedUPS trucks to deliver some packages. Sitting by the phone, waiting for agent to call with a book contract.
But if I understand the writer of Peter correctly, it is good to stew and wait. To simmer and sit until the full richness of our character fills the kitchen. On ly then will the favor of God bring forth the full flavor of our lives.
Does God have you on slow roast? Don't turn off the heat. It could be, your life is the main course for an important feast.
She Said -- I Asked. When Will You Answer?
By: Cindy Sproles
My head rested on the pillow and my eyes grew heavy. Somewhere between the 11:00 news and a late night talk show, I drifted in and out of consciousness. You see, I have one speed, and it's hyperdrive, so even when I sleep, I never really rest. My head never seems to shut down.
I've been praying a lot lately, especially for a good friend. Every time I pray, I find myself reminding God that "He promises." In fact, I caught myself saying promises, promises, promises, promises. Promises, promises, promises, and promises. When are you going to keep one? Answer a prayer? Buck up and pay attention? Come in from the back yard and answer an email? Shortly after I said that, we had a thunderstorm and a very heavy rain. Perhaps I was out of line-a little.
Still I take the Father at His word and He promises to hear our prayers and answer. He's slow. I'm sure God is wondering by whose standards I'm comparing Him to, and that would be my hyperdrive speed. But I don't get it. I don't understand the logic when I pray faithfully, ask according to His will, and pray persistently, why the Father doesn't throw me a bone-give me a break.
The fact is, sometimes His answer is in the "not" answering. Sometimes the answer is the silence. We will never comprehend the timing of God and we most certainly will never understand his patience with us, but the one thing we can rest assured in, is the fact that He always keeps his promise. "He knows the plans that He has for us, plans to prosper us and not to harm us," and just because I'm tapping my foot impatiently waiting does not mean God is ready. All the pieces to His plan are not in place and all my toe tapping is going to do, is hurt.
So, I roll over and pull my pillow close. I close my eyes and rest in the assurance that God is God, almighty and amazing, and I am simply impatient. Thank goodness He is not. I feel His breath against my face as I drift into rest, and I heard Him whisper, "I always keep my promises, but I keep them in my time. Patience."
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