Lines by Lee

"I want it now!" You may or may not have said that statement aloud at some point. But you probably thought it; maybe many times. We live in a world where we want things conveniently and quickly. The issue was exemplified years ago in the film "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory." A spoiled girl who toured the factory with her wealthy father was awestruck by the goose who laid the golden egg. She wanted the goose for herself along with sweet treats that her eyes beheld. She was told she can eat when she gets home. No, now! Her father assured her he could buy the golden goose as he pulled out his checkbook. But the man in the funny hat said the goose isn't for sale. She went into a tantrum in the form of a song entitled, "I Want It Now." It includes the words "I want the world. I want the whole world. Give it to me now. And if I don't get the things I am after, I am going to scream. Don't care how; I want it now." Unfortunately for her it only ended with her going down a chute for bad eggs. She was quickly followed by her Dad. Not only did she not get what she wanted now, she didn't get it at all.

I have stood by the microwave warming something for 20 seconds or so and impatiently watched the timer go down. I used to pump my gas right after swiping my credit card and now I have to type in my zip code. Think of how much extra time that takes. Certainly wanting things right away can point to an impatience problem. But it may also be part of a bigger issue. It can be a matter of selfishness and lack of contentment with what we already have.

In Scripture, Jacob was hungry. He wanted his brother's stew so badly that he was willing to sell his valuable birthright just to get something to eat right away. There is no indication that he would have died if he didn't eat anytime soon, although he did say, "I am about to die" (Genesis 25:32). Rather it seems that he smelled something good, was hungry, and just wanted it badly enough to make a horrible choice with lasting consequences.

In 1 Samuel 2 the worthless sons of Eli broke with custom and took meat before it was time. They stated that if it was not given to them now they would take it by force (16). "Thus the sin of the young men was very great in the sight of the Lord, for the men treated the offering of the Lord with contempt" (17). They were not only impatient, but they disregarded God's ways. Their sin was very great.

David was a warrior and a man after God's own heart. In 2 Samuel 11 his eyes saw a woman bathing. That led to his mind making a very bad choice. He not only wanted the married woman, he wanted her now. What started with his eyes progressed to his thoughts and culminated with his body committing a shameful act. That brought about murder and eventually a baby named Absalom, who would be a problem when he grew up.

Perhaps Jesus' most famous parable is what we call the prodigal son. While the main point of the story in Luke 15 is that our loving Father seeks and forgives those who are lost, we can learn something through the younger son's attitude and actions. The problem was not that he wanted his share of his father's property. The issue is that his restless heart thought there was something out there apart from his father that we satisfy him. That false belief brought him to the point of demanding his share now. It was an offense to his father who was already meeting the needs of his sons. Because God gives us freedom the father in the parable gave him what he asked for and let the choices of the son bring natural consequences. The impetuous son was soon broke and broken. He wanted it now and got what he wanted. It left him empty and starving. When he came to his senses he knew he had to return home now.

Restless hearts tend to be demanding. Lack of contentment can bring about wanting things out there somewhere to make us feel better. We want instant gratification because we feel like we deserve things. Our selfish natures tend to make us demanding. We know that good things come to those who wait; but still we want it now. Computers and smartphones have made us accustomed to instant answers and amusement. That instant, me-first attitude has negative consequences in our relationships.

The Lord knows our weaknesses perfectly. It is no wonder Isaiah 40:31 states, "But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength." Sometimes when we pray we do so expecting quick results if not immediate ones. It is a good thing to wait upon the Lord. It makes us dependent and reminds us who is really in control. Probably long after the Bathsheba episode David wrote, "Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord" (Psalm 27:14). Once again we see that waiting upon God brings strength. Wanting things now is a sign of weakness. "Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him" (Psalm 37:7).

There is even an aspect of our salvation that we don't get now. We are justified at the moment we confess and believe. Salvation is sealed and cannot be lost. Yet the Christian life is a process where we grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. As we submit to the Lord we are being sanctified. It is something that goes on until we die or Jesus returns. At that point we are glorified. Once we see Jesus face to face we will not want anything now. What we need will be ours. It will be worth it all when we see Jesus. Until then we must allow the powerful Holy Spirit to give us patience and perspective.

I must now submit this column to the editor. You guessed it. He wants it now.