"A Drive-Thru Mentality"

Over the last several weeks I’ve been preparing to preach on Abraham out of Genesis.  One of the things that caught my attention was the distance that Abram (Abraham) traveled from Ur to Canaan, which was somewhere in the range of 800-900 miles; as the crow flies its around 500 miles.  If you look at it from this perspective the distance from New Orleans, LA to Memphis, TN is just shy of 400 miles.  How many of us, if we were called to get up and go somewhere without knowing the destination would?  Abraham did.  And how many of us would continue to go after 100 miles…200 miles…500 miles…800+ miles?  Abraham did, all because God commanded him to go.

Genesis 12:1 (HCSB)

12 The Lord said to Abram: Go out from your land, your relatives, and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.

One of the things that impresses me when speaking of Abraham is not only his faith, but his patience.  How often do Christians today have a “drive thru mentality”, that we want what we want and we want it in our timing.  But what the bible teaches me over and over again is that God wants His children to be loving, joyful, peaceful, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and temperate; God also wants His children to be patient.

There are many verses in the bible that speak of the patience of God,

Psalm 86:15 (HCSB)

¹⁵ But You, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in faithful love and truth.

There are, as well, verses that speak to the patience of those who put their faith in Him.

Romans 8:24–25 (HCSB)

²⁴ Now in this hope we were saved, yet hope that is seen is not hope, because who hopes for what he sees? ²⁵ But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with patience.

Everyone who calls God “Abba” Father through a saving relationship with Jesus Christ is to be a person not only of faith, but of patience—not only in our waiting for the return of Christ, but in the “meantime” as we deal with the situations and circumstances of life.  And in these times we are to be faithful and patient to the plans of God for our lives regardless of the distance, time, or circumstances we face during our journey through life.