Have you ever sat at a fast food establishment and watched how people interact with the staff? I have. In fact, I am doing it now. I’m writing some blogs here while eating breakfast and waiting for April’s women’s Bible study to finish up. The first thing I have noticed is who comes in. It’s the young and the old among us. The young are enticed by the toys that come with their meals. The seniors come in for convenience. Another meal they do not have to cook and no dishes to clean afterward.
In this place, the music is loud, and the air is cold, but that is probably how the workers like it. The average customer doesn’t seem to mind because they did not come here for the atmosphere! They want to place their order and get what they ordered fast! Very fast!
When I was in the Philippines, We went t what they consider “fast food.” There was nothing fast about the place! On one such visit, it took them twenty-five minutes to make and serve me my breakfast sandwich. The lines were typically long, and the service needed improvement. As I began to observe their process intently, I saw the flaws. This was certainly not a place of “best practices!” As I learned a popular phrase while living there, “What can I do about it?” If they had known me, they would remember that I hate waiting.
This order now and receive in 22.495 seconds attitude has transferred into our relationship with God. Fast food places added drive-trus to speed up service and convenience. This doesn’t help us either. I think most believers of God would love it if He added a drive-thru. He tells us in his word to make our request known. Most of us would love to pray from a menu board too.
“God, I’ll take a number 5 to go. Oh, and I want fries with that!
Wouldn’t it be fast and convenient? God knows me and knows I don’t like waiting but answering prayers quickly or quicker might improve his service rating, but He is not concerned about that. He doesn’t care about any reviews believers might post on Yelp, either! God will do what is best for his children when it is best. Nothing changes that. Complaining doesn’t work, or asking to speak to the manager either. Nor does threatening to go somewhere else.
If you are going to be in a relationship with God, and you should, you have to accept the way He chooses to do things. Like in the Philippines, “What can I do about it?” Know that He does care, and He wants us to trust him. We have to acknowledge that his ways are “best practices.”
God isn’t going to install a drive-thru anytime soon or a menu board. We must learn to trust and wait in a loving relationship with him. Your prayer request will be served up prepared his way and in his time, so please, don’t go anywhere else. You may think you are getting what you want, fast, but I assure you it will leave a bad taste in your mouth for a long time. Perhaps even for eternity.
9 The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some regard slowness, but is being patient toward you, because he does not wish for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.
2 Pt. 3:9 (NET)
6 Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God. Philippians 4:6 (NET)
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In the last blog post I mentioned a friend living overseas who had not found a church yet where he is getting a steady diet of spiritual nutrition. Not that he hasn’t tried.
brady, mark a. 