SPEED Part I

Father, Can You Move Any Slower?

Part I

Hate it when I get in God’s way. Don’t mean to. It’s just that when I think He’s moving too slowly in the lane of my life, I change lanes. I’m looking for movement, action, fast action. I want speedy help, speedy answers, speedy change, speedy resolutions. Speed. Just. Give. Me. Speed!

Do you ever find yourself changing lanes on God? Jumping ahead of Him because He’s moseying along like the proverbial “Sunday Driver;” taking His own sweet time to reveal His answer to your prayer. He’s just not moving at that rapid pace you prefer. Speed.

But once you complete that aggressive lane change, do you whisper, “Am I coming up short on patience with God? Or trust in Him? Or do I simply lack both? Is one, perhaps, predicated on the other?”

Let’s see.

When you’re in the “10 or Less” line at Whole Foods, do you suss out the folks ahead to determine if there really are “10 or Less” in their cart? Speed. How about when you arrive at the doctor’s office early enough to sign in, grab a magazine and read it cover to cover with 5 minutes to spare, then start to fidget if you haven’t been called within 3 minutes of your scheduled time? Speed.

I won’t even get into how you begin to feel at your regularly scheduled hair appointment at which the Stylist regularly runs late. Speed. Still, your need for speed at these moments does not require you exercise any measure of trust that your turn will come. You know it will.

But with God, it’s different. Our patience with Him is predicated on our trust in Him. Here’s why:

1) He repeatedly promises to guide us in the lane of our life.

“In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:6 (NKJV)

2) He promises He will lead us while instructing us with no mention of any measure of speed while He does.

“This is what the Lord, your Defender, the Holy One of Israel, says: I am the Lord your God. I teach you what is best for you. I lead you where you should go.”  Isaiah 48:17(GW)

In fact, He tells us He is going to deliver us first, and then direct us. This is a slow proposition if you think about from what He is delivering us. So, we are left to trust Him that during this s-L-O-w  time of no visible change, He will show up to show off! Patience = Trust.

“In [His] unfailing love [He] will lead the people [He has] redeemed. In [His] strength [He] will guide them...” Exodus 15:13 (NIV)

God was not only delivering the Jews from the physical shackles of slavery in Egypt but from its emotional, spiritual and economic ravages, as well. He wanted them to be whole; free of the cumulative effects that life had on their group psyche. 

This band of Hebrews was not schooled as military experts trained to strategize and win the battles they would have encountered had the Lord allowed them a direct and speedy trip to their Promise Land. 

Isn’t this the same for us? If He speeds us along, we won't have time to prepare to successfully live in our Promise! 

“Then it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, ‘Lest perhaps the people change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt.’

So God led the people around by way of the wilderness of the Red Sea. And the children of Israel went up in orderly ranks out of the land of Egypt.”  Exodus 13:17-18 (NKJV)

He deliberately slowed their journey. He wanted to train them, equip them and cultivate recovery time from the brokenness of life in Egypt. No changing lanes to hurry it up. No jumping ahead of time. No speed.

He is doing the exact same thing for you, right now, in what seems like the slowest time E-V-E-R. It is. Just stay in your lane!

-Still Processing