A Faith Journal

Here is another repost from 2023. It was the last post for the week of Hope. Some of this may not line up with what has been posted so far, but the main message is still true. There is still one more post for our week in hope. Enjoy.

I heard something interesting recently on some social media site. Sorry they all blend together for me, so I’m not even sure where it was or who the woman was that shared it. However, it was placed in my rotation by God, I’m sure. The woman was comparing our expectations with God’s reality. We live in a world where instant gratification is sought out and expected for nearly everything. Her example for this is a microwave. We want our lives to be lived at max power so that we can get all we want as fast as possible. God’s reality is something a little slower. It takes time and work to achieve what God has planned for us. She used a crock pot for this example. She then went on to say if we try to take the crock pot meal and turn it into a microwave meal, it just doesn’t taste as good. If we want the good life God has planned for us, we must let Him be in control and be glad for the slow and steady process He has.

As I was thinking about this analogy and the wrap up of Hope week of Advent, God was reminding me that hoping in Him will always be worth it. Just like a good crock pot meal, there are moments that everything is just individual ingredients that may seem odd together, but with just the right amounts, the proper temperature or tension, time and the knowledgeable cook (God), our lives can be amazing.

As I was praying about this post, I heard to look at Isaiah. Well, that makes sense because the first week of Advent is also known by some as the prophecy week and Isaiah is full of prophecy and hope. The part He led me to was Isaiah 42 though, not the prophecy of the virgin birth ( Isaiah 7:14). Chapter 42 speaks of a chosen servant. Obviously, this is Jesus, but it is also believed to be all of God’s chosen people, His children. As His children we need to learn to praise God as we wait in the tension for all that He has planned for us. Again, to go back to the crock pot analogy, as time goes on, the ingredients mixed together in a crock pot begin to smell good. When we praise God, it gives a pleasing aroma to Him. Also, in chapter42 it speaks of how God’s people don’t always heed what is shown to them and choose to do life their own way. This would be the equivalent to microwaving a crock pot meal. It “can” be done, but is it really going to be that good?

This week we’ve looked at hope in various ways. I pray that one of them has helped you draw closer to God as we begin this Christmas season. I pray you find time to praise God in some way daily. I’ll share a link to one of my favorite Christmas songs sung in a way that reflects my youth and current musical interests mixed together.

God,

We praise you and all you blessed us with when you sent your son to us. Hope would not exist without His birth, death and resurrection. Thank you for the reminder that life is meant to be lived with You in control and at times slow and steady. Instant gratification is nice from time to time, but we need to realize a life full of instant gratification is only an imitation of the good life you have waiting for us. We take this time to place our hope in all you have planned. Use us to spread hope to others and be an example of what a life lived with you looks like. In Jesus’ name, Amen.