I want it now!

I remember when I was a child and the Sears catalog would come just when the holiday season would come. I would sit down and look over the pages... carefully picking out the things that I would ask my parents for. There was a lot of excitement and anticipation after I made my list - wondering if I would get what I wanted.

The truth is, in those days, I generally got what I needed - another pair of shoes for the 2nd half of the school year, clothes to replace what I had grown out of and usually the one big toy that I wanted and a few other things as well. That was enough to make me happy.

Times have changed as our economy has grown. People are use to getting what they want all the time now - well at least before the great recession hit... but most people still sacrifice to give their children what they want. I can understand that... I think of what Jesus sacrificed to give us eternal life, in that same spirit, we sacrifice to give to those around us.

But... what does that teach us about patience? After all, when it comes to God's plan, he rarely moves as quickly as we do for our children.

I woke up this morning thinking about Jacob. Jacob needed a wife, and he saw this beautiful woman named Rachel.  He told her father that he would work for him for 7 years to marry her... wait. sees this woman - that he wants to marry... and he is willing to wait how long? 7 years? Ooooookay.... (Genesis 29:15-18)

Jacob works for 7 years. It goes by quickly - he's in love. He gets to see to object of his affection on a daily basis - so time flies. I imagine he got to see her at meal times and that they had great conversations as they continued to get to know each other.

Then... it comes time to marry her - his father pulls the switharoo and he ends up marrying Leah. (Gen 29:21-27)

WHAT??!!!

He marries Leah, and according to their custom spends a week with her which is time that he isn't spending with the object of his desire - Rachel.

After all of that, he was allowed to marry Rachel.

I'm not sure why God allowed such a thing to happen, but what I do know is that from all of this, Jacob had 12 song who eventually became the 12 tribes of Israel - a nation by which we are all blessed today.

I guess God does have a plan, maybe we aren't patient enough to see it through today...