I Want It NOW!

In the original Willy Wonka movie, Baruca was one of the spoiled children. When the tour brought the group to the room with the geese that laid golden eggs, she told her dad very emphatically, "I want it NOW!"

I think Baruca and her dad ended up in the chute with the bad eggs.

Does that reflect our prayers?

We want God to take away the trials NOW!

We want God to take away the temptations NOW!

We want God to bless us NOW!

In Exodus 23, God is instructing the Israelites about conquering the Promised Land. He promises to send the Angel of the LORD before them to lead them (v  20-21). He promises to send hornets before them to drive out the enemies (v 28).

God promises to lead and fight for the Israelites.

But He also promises that it won't be a quick fight.

"I will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the wild beasts multiply against you. Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you have increased and possess the land" (v 29-30).

God could have sent a fire, an angel, a disease, or any number of ways to wipe out the enemies instantly.

But He chose to drive them out slowly, so that Israel would be able to increase in population and be able to possess the land. Those who had been wandering in the wilderness for forty years were not capable to take over the work required to care for the land. They weren't skilled or strong enough. They didn't have enough man-power.

This parallels our spiritual growth, too.

We would like God to keep us from falling into the same sin over and over again.

God does promise that He will fight for us (1 Cor 10:13). He does promise victory over temptation.

But it may be a slow process.

His goal is not simply that we would have victory over temptation. He has so much more to teach us about Himself and ourselves.

And that takes time.