Crockpot Faith

But those who wait on the LORD will renew their strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not be weary, they will walk and not faint. - Isaiah 40:31

Sometimes the hardest thing in life to do is wait. It just doesn't seem that we're naturally good at that; at least I know I'm not. We live in a culture where the physical act of waiting just seems unreasonable. Let's face it, we get mad when we have to wait in the drive-thru line for more than 5-minutes. If we have this much trouble waiting for a Big Mac or a Whopper, how much harder is it when it comes to waiting God?

Amazingly, this verse in Isaiah 40 tells us that one key element to growing in our faith is the action of waiting. That may sound silly because I said waiting is an action, but it's true. Tricia is a wonderful cook. Like most families, our meals run the gamete from fast food to home cooked. But some of the best meals are the ones she puts in the Crockpot at 8 a.m. and then simmers all day long. Sometimes it's a roast with carrots & potato's, other times it's a whole chicken smothered in BBQ sauce. Regardless, if you leave it alone, keep the lid on and let the Crockpot do it's thing, the meals come out tender and delicious. Now if you need a meal cooked in 10-minutes, then the Crockpot is not the cooking method of choice. That's when you use the microwave. The microwave will get the meal done in minutes. It is possible to get a tasty meal using this method, but more often than not the meal turns out dry, over or under cooked, and you are typically going to get 3rd degree burns in your mouth when you bite into the food.

In our daily journey of faith it's easy to take the shortcuts, circumvent God's time-line, and ultimately get there faster. That's what I call "Microwave Faith." It's definitely faster but the end product isn't all that God meant for it to be. As hard as it is to wait for, "Crockpot Faith" is usually what works best. That's where we place our lives in God's hands and trust his timing, allow him to season our lives along the journey, and produce in us an end result where our faith is properly developed. Waiting is so hard, but it is so worth it. As we simmer in God's Crockpot, we are slowly but surely developing the flavor of God; his character, attitude, and integrity. Have you ever noticed how the house smells after the Crockpot has been on all day? Even a guest in your home can smell the aroma as soon as they enter. I love what 2 Corinthians 2:15-16 say.

"For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who
are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life."

Make it your goal to develop Crockpot Faith. Wait on God this week and allow yourself to simmer in his presence. The end product is so worth it!!!

Have a GREAT week!
Pastor Mark