Instant Oatmeal

Empty contents into bowl. Add boiling water and stir. Let stand for two minutes. Oatmeal in an instant. Gooey goodness that is warm going down on a day where winter winds blow through my bones. Convenience in our cupboards feeds our impatience as well as our bodies. No more slaving over a hot stove (though a good pot of chili and a cast iron skillet of cornbread is well worth the wait.) Technology provides a world of information at our fingertips instead of hours thumbing through dusty books in an old library.

In this era of stream on demand, we tend to carry this need for instant gratification into our prayer closets, disappointed when answers from God are replaced by a spinning buffer wheel exposing our lack of connection. Wisdom of the world may work like that, but true wisdom requires a closer connection. Some prayer is answered immediately, like a certain peace when you whisper the name of Jesus in a stressful situation and more importantly, heavenly forgiveness when you come to Him with a repentant heart. Other prayers are like seeds planted deeply in the earth.

Passing miles of South Texas cotton fields, emptied of their white fluffy blooms, I felt a kinship to its barren expanse, plowed under to endure the winter months. Yet underneath, plant remnants nourished the soul in preparation for the Spring. In seasons when it feels like our prayers are bouncing off winter skies, our time with Jesus replenishes our fertile soil lending protection and nutrients to seeds we have planted. In the time of the Lord’s favor, winter winds give way to spring showers, yielding tender sprouts, of which mighty trees grow.

Likewise, somewhere in the Midwest stands an empty field which in due season produces an oat harvest. Through farmer hands to store shelves to little paper packets; water, warmth and a little patience becomes the gooey goodness that again warms our souls.

If these words have been a blessing, pass them along to another who needs to hear. Reach out to me at John@LiftedKeys.com and tell me your story. I would love to know where and in what way God has guided His words through my pen.

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