The Microwave Generation

Ding! Awwwww- the sound that says our food is ready. The ding that tells us that what we put in this amazing box-like appliance just moments ago is now hot and ready to eat. The microwave oven has been a constant part of my life and I love it. Since its appearance on the consumer market in 1967 millions have been sold. There’s one in just about every home in the U.S. I’ll bet there’s one in yours.

Since its inception our generation has become accustom to getting things quick. That instant satisfaction has become such a characteristic that we have a catch phrase-the microwave generation. Yep, that’s us. We want our every need taken care of in a blink of an eye. Wait? No way! Just think of how the consumer market caters to this need. Sprint’s 4G network that’s the fastest ever! Phones that will let you surf the net anywhere because waiting till we get home for that facebook update is too long. Internet service has to be roadrunner fast. Food that you can drive up to a restarunt and get from without leaving your car in 5 miuntes or less!  If you want it- now’s the time to get it. Right now.. don’t wait. And if our generation is bad, just look at the one coming up behind us. Scary!

So, what’s this entire thing have to do with our book? The key is instant satisfaction. It’s one of the reasons I believe so many of us turn to false gods. We don’t want to wait on God. We want something to satisfy that longing or pain right away.

In chapter six Kelly looks at why we run to idols instead of God. She says,

“So much of what draws us to our personal gods has to do with where our needs are, where we hurt, why we hurt, and how we desire that pain to be satiated."

Kelly talks about how important it is to understand why we turn to our false gods. It’s important to get to the root of the problem if we expect to change the behavior. (Note: We’ll need God’s help to do this, but it’s critical to understand what the root of our need is for idols. If you don’t know what the root of the problem is, then take some time in prayer to ask God to reveal it to you.)

For me, I turn to the idols in my life to fill emotions needs I feel I have. Loneliness, fear, lack of self worth is my big three. Many times to fill that space I’ll turn to food. It’s my main false god. Food is a quick and easy fix. There’s that instant satisfaction again. I want comfort and I want it now! This is one that I have to spend some time with the Lord asking Him to help me understand.

Perhaps my favorite part of the chapter came with the explanation of Matthew 11:28-30.

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

God knows that we will seek satisfaction in something. He invites us to come to him and find rest. This rest requires that we take the yoke of Jesus. I’ve read this passage many times and often wondered how taking Jesus’ yoke upon myself will lead to rest. Kelly explains it beautifully.

“This rest requires that we take his yoke, which is easy and light. The word yoke is not something we toss around too often today, as it’s an apparatus placed on cattle to join them to one another so they can pull something like a plow. But the principle is so beautiful and vital to understanding what it means for God to be God in our life, as opposed to gods functioning as God. Metaphorically, the word is a picture of bondage or slavery, what doesn’t sound particularly restful to me, sort of as exciting as sticking my head in a gallows. But if I can borrow from Romans 6:16 for a minute, the bottom line is that we are all slaves to something, whether to sin or to righteousness; ‘Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey-whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?’ Paul explains that whatever we obey-whatever we offer ourselves to-becomes our master.”

In the beginning taking on Jesus’ yoke seems contrary to what we believe in our hearts. Taking on the yoke of obedience can feel “heavy and life-sucking while the sparkle and promise of our favorite false god can look irresistible.” Proverbs 14:12 says

“There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”

In the end turning to the false gods in our lives will weigh us down with a heavy burden and leads to death.