Microwave Faith
Microwave Faith
“And the Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days.”
1 Samuel 17:16
Everything used to move so much slower in life. It’s hard to remember life without a microwave, and some don’t remember those times. We want things now, not later. We ask, “how soon can I get it?” Things that used to take days are now expected in hours. In a world that has sped up, its time to slow down.
I used to be that person. I had to get everything done on my list and it had to be done today. I made the impossible lists, and I made them daily. Only to never get everything done. I set myself up for failure.
This is much like our faith. It’s on a list of things to do. Only to never get around to it. Not actually faith, but the things that develop our faith.
Have you ever sat and thought about how long it actually takes you to eat a meal, versus how long it took you to prepare it? If you even made the meal yourself.
The other night I cooked and Ashley stood with me. We joke about how she is my sous-chef. She doesn’t like to cook, so she doesn’t mind getting all the items, throwing away the mess and doing the dishes. It’s an even trade off. But while I cook we talk about the day. We spend an hour talking, laughing, scheduling and tasting. Once the cooking is done we sit down and eat - and that is usually about a 15-minute exercising of our teeth and jaws. Once done we clean up and the meal is officially over. We spend more time over the prep and cooking then the eating itself. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy our time together in the kitchen. But we don’t spend a lot of time at the meal.
In the Bible, people would fast for long periods of time, often 40 days. They would prepare for battles, pray and isolate for long periods. I sat and thought about our culture. Can you imagine going to someone and telling them, “I would like you to go to the forest for forty days and nights to think about this”. I don’t think anyone can comprehend a month and ten days of preparation for anything. Most people will brag about the time they spent on something, only after the time has past. Or they’ll commit to long periods of time only to get away from something.
The other day I listened to a sermon about David and Goliath and how Goliath tormented the army of Israel for forty days! I sat and thought about how long that actually is. That’s forty dinners. That’s 120 church services. That’s 1600 hours of work for a forty hour week. Can you imagine being tormented every day for forty days? Some of us live like that all our lives because they live without faith.
In the Bible, people had to undergo long periods of time of faith. They had to believe and have faith for years. And for them, their faith was a matter of life and sometimes death. People died for their faith.
It’s amazing to me that in a period where things took so long to accomplish, we have come to wanting things so fast.
We want things with ease and speed. It used to be the best things were made when you took your time and worked hard. Now, press a button and an entire meal is done. People expect faith much in the same manner.
I remember we would sit at the supper table for an hour with my grandparents. Sunday lunch was the biggest meal of the week. We would sit and talk and eat. Nobody rushed. Now a meal is eaten out of necessity and not desire. Much like faith. People turn to faith when they need it. Not because they might need it.
Faith is the center of our belief in Jesus Christ. People have died for their faith in Him. Faith is the existence of what we believe. It shouldn’t be something we only call on when we need it.
Why do I call it microwave faith? Actually that term came from a friend of mine over a conversation we were having about faith. It’s because people want a faith of convenience and quickness. They don’t invest the time in it. Faith isn’t an accomplishment it’s a work in progress. Our faith gets built and strengthened every day and over time. Not speedily and in a hurry. Our faith is what we put into it. Faith is hope. There are people out there that have tremendous faith. I still struggle with it and that’s me being honest.
I catch myself all the time depending on me, not God. I feel guilty at times depending on God for something after spending all this time depending on me. We try and take shortcuts. Speed up. Not slow down and take time to develop it.
Over time though I have developed a strengthened faith. Stronger than it has ever been. It’s taken me committing the time to my relationship with God through prayer and Bible reading. Relationships take commitment, time and hard work.
Take some time today and evaluate your faith. Take a look at what your faith is. Faith is not an expectation of what God will do for you. Faith is a belief and hope based on your relationship with Him. Faith is based on developing a relationship with God. Through this relationship you will see what God will do in your life. You will be disappointed if you attempt to take that relationship for granted. Believe this, God wants a relationship with you.
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
Hebrews 11:1 KJV
“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
Hebrews 11:6
Read Hebrews 11, it won’t take long, maybe 5 minutes. It will give you a glimpse of faith in the Bible.