Title:
When
Instant
Isn’t
Date:
4/27/2008
Texts:
Exodus
16.1-3
Mark
8.1-13
Series:
When
Faith
Is
Hard:
Delayed
Gratification
Dr.
William
M.
Smutz
Soccer
fields
were
an
afterthought
for
the
county
park
system
where
we
lived
in
While
action
on
the
soccer
field
could
get
pretty
intense,
it
was
in
the
parking
lots
where
the
real
excitement
truly
happened…as
parents
battled
one
another
for
a
parking
space
close
to
the
field
where
their
child
was
playing.
Over
the
course
of
eight
spring
and
fall
soccer
seasons
I
witnessed
amazingly
rude
and
depressing
adult
behavior
weekend
after
weekend.
People
would
take
up
multiple
spaces
to
avoid
having
the
doors
of
their
expensive
cars
dented…..They
would
cut
one
another
off
while
maneuvering
for
a
space;
ignoring
turn
signals
and
cars
already
waiting
for
a
particular
spot
to
open
up.
And
then,
in
the
aftermath
of
such
a
skirmish,
the
victor
and
his
or
her
family
would
exit
the
car
with
a
haughty
air
of
privilege,
ignoring
the
horn
honks
and
gestures
from
those
they
had
supplanted….While
those
who
had
been
cut
off,
proceeded
to
tear
through
the
lot
like
a
bat
out
of
hell,
not
caring
for
the
pedestrians
they
nearly
ran
down…desperately
searching
for
another
spot.
For
me,
the
truly
tragic
part
of
this
whole
melodrama,
was
the
false
sense
of
entitlement
that
drove
it.
Most
of
the
people
who
entered
those
lots
on
a
soccer
game
day
expected
to
have
convenient
parking
waiting
for
them;
the
considered
it
something
they
deserved…..And
when
that
expectation
wasn’t
immediately
gratified,
many
of
them
flew
into
a
rage,
not
unlike
the
temper
tantrum
of
a
three
year
old.
Lest
I
just
appear
to
be
beating
up
on
soccer
parents,
I
see
the
same
sense
of
entitlement
among
people
just
about
everywhere
I
go
these
days….In
parking
lots,
at
the
grocery
store,
in
the
mall,
on
the
road,
waiting
in
any
line….And
when
this
sense
of
entitlement
is
coupled
with
its
evil
twin,
immediate
gratification,
the
results
get
even
uglier!
As
wonderful
as
technology
is….as
wonderful
as
the
high
standard
of
living
we
enjoy
in
comparison
to
most
of
the
world….as
wonderful
as
instant
communication
can
be….These
aspects
of
our
society,
which
have
in
many
ways
become
cultural
expectations,
create
a
false
sense
that
our
every
need
can
and
should
and
will
be
taken
care
of
right
away;
that
every
problem
can
be
solved
by
pushing
a
button
or
flipping
a
switch
or
calling
customer
service;
that
every
personal
crisis
can
be
resolved
by
mumbling
a
quick
prayer
of
petition…..
And
when
instant
isn’t,
when
gratification
doesn’t
materialize
fast
enough,
how
do
we
usually
react?
We
often
get
angry,
don’t
we?
After
all,
we’ve
worked
hard
and
paid
our
dues
or
entry
fee,
and
we
want
what
we
want
when
we
want
it!
I
use
to
think
that
the
desire
and
expectation
for
immediate
gratification
was
only
a
problem
of
the
modern
world,
a
creation
of
20th
and
21st
Century
They
don’t
trust
or
don’t
believe
that
God
will
continue
to
watch
over
them…..
Why
has
God
brought
us
here?
Where
are
we
going
to
get
food?
Moses
is
just
leading
us
to
the
grave!
At
least
in
They
don’t
see
the
goodness
of
God
within
them;
they
don’t
feel
how
and
where
God
is
at
work
in
their
lives
right
now;
they
don’t
see
God’s
handiwork
in
creation…..And
because
they
can’t
see
the
signs
of
God’s
presence
in
the
ordinary
and
mundane,
they
don’t
take
seriously
God
at
work
for
them,
in
things
like
the
plagues
that
forced
the
Egyptians
to
set
them
free;
and
in
their
crossing
of
the
Red
Sea.
The
people
so
want
immediate
gratification
–
feed
us
now
–
that
they
fail
to
see
what
God
is
already
doing
for
them.
In our Mark lesson, Jesus feeds hungry people in the wilderness – providing food for them, just as God provided food for their ancestors long before. Though in this instance the people don’t complain beforehand; and accept what is given with gratitude. After the meal Jesus goes into town, and runs into some of the Pharisees, the religious leaders of his day. In their defense, the Pharisees probably weren’t at the mass feeding, didn’t experience it first hand….But surely they heard about it. It’s hard to lay out a spread for so many, and word not get around.
Right
off
the
bat,
the
Pharisee’s
ask
Jesus
for
a
sign
from
heaven.
They
apparently
have
a
list
of
things
that
they
consider
to
be
such
a
sign,
and
they
don’t
think
he
can
do
anything
from
their
list.
They
want
to
trip
Jesus
up;
they
want
him
to
perform
a
magic
trick;
they
want
it
right
now,
immediately……just
for
them!
Obviously
feeding
4,000
or
more
people
with
only
seven
loaves
of
bread
and
a
few
fish
isn’t
on
their
list
of
signs.
I
think
Jesus’
response
is
great
–
he
sighs
deeply;
some
translations
say
he
groans;
probably
with
a
not
so
subtle
hint
of
disgust,
and
then
he
leaves
town.
In
my
experience,
faith
can
get
really
hard,
when
I
want
God
to
do
something
on
my
time
frame
–
which
is
usually
immediately.
Faith
gets
hard
in
times
when
things
aren’t
happening
fast
enough
for
me,
because
I
find
myself
entertaining
questions
like
–
Why
isn’t
God
making
this
happen?
What
did
I
do
to
make
God
angry?
I
would
really,
really
like
our
house
in
But
to
ask
such
questions….to
expect
God
to
take
care
of
my
wants
and
desires
immediately,
is
to
miss
seeing
all
the
countless
little
ways
that
God
is
present
and
active
in
my
life
on
a
daily
basis.
To
expect
God
to
take
care
of
my
wants
and
desires
immediately,
is
to
treat
God
as
some
cosmic
magician,
who
can
and
should
wave
a
wand
and
say
the
right
words
and
make
something
happen.
To
expect
God
to
take
care
of
my
wants
and
desires
immediately,
is
to
assume
that
I
am
in
charge
of
creation,
and
that
the
world
exists
only
for
my
purposes.
Our
invitation
today
is
to
stop
whining
about
what
we
want,
or
think
we
need,
and
expect
God
to
provide
for
us
instantly….To
let
go
of
our
Pharisee-like
list,
and
see
all
the
ways
that
God
is
already
present
and
active
in
the
ordinary
and
mundane
of
our
lives.
Now,
I’m
not
saying
this
is
an
easy
thing
to
do,
for
it
is
not.
But
if
we
can
do
this,
I
believe
we
will
be
amazed….overwhelmed,
by
what
we
see
and
realize.
Our
invitation
today
is
also
to
share
our
knowledge;
to
let
others
know,
others
who
are
struggling
just
as
much
as
we
are,
to
let
them
know
that
God
loves
them
too;
that
God
is
busy
in
their
ordinary
and
every
day
also.
Instead
of
constantly
living
like
we’re
trying
to
find
a
parking
spot
before
a
soccer
game,
God
invites
us
to
enjoy
the
blessings
of
every
days,
large
and
small,
and
share
these
blessings
with
others
as
freely
as
we
have
received
them.
That’s
faith
that
is
not
hard……that
I
can
do,
that
you
can
do…..
Let’s
get
busy!
Amen!!!