On this day in 1955, the Tappan Company introduced the microwave oven.

What a fantastic invention! Before microwaves, cooking meals took a while. Now we can warm up leftovers or cook a TV dinner in minutes. It’s also great for heating drinks, popping popcorn, thawing meat, and dozens of other tasks.

Although we can eat sooner than before, we often wish the process were even faster. It’s the same with computers. Not very long ago, personal computers were rare, expensive, and slow. But now we can’t seem to get them to go fast enough. And what about the Internet? Only recently has it exploded into our lives as a great tool for communication and information, but we have come to expect it to serve us faster and faster. Dial-up seems almost prehistoric, and e-mail has morphed to instant messaging.

The inventions and technological advances are great, but often they raise our expectations for speed. We live in the instant society. We want everything now!

Some things can’t be rushed. Physical growth takes time. You may want to be taller right now, but you’ll have to wait. Other things shouldn’t be rushed—like education. Learning through books, classes, and experience takes years. At other times conditions force life to slow down—such as traffic on roads and airports during bad weather.

You’ve probably heard, “Patience is a virtue.” It’s true! And it’s listed in the fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5:22, 23). God knows that at times we will need to wait—for answers to prayer, for help in trouble, for relief from pain, for his kingdom to come. So he wants us to develop patience, to learn to wait and to depend on him in the meantime.

So the next time you’re standing at the microwave, sitting at the computer, or standing in line, take a deep breath, relax, and learn a lesson in patience.

We also pray that you will be strengthened with his glorious power so that you will have all the patience and endurance you need. May you be filled with joy (Colossians 1:11).

To Do

Today try to take everything a bit slower. Instead of rushing around, try relaxing. And as you wait for the computer to connect, the phone to ring, or your favorite TV show to begin, remember the importance of patience.

Also on this day

1881—Painter Pablo Picasso was born.

1964—The Rolling Stones first appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show.

From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005). Scripture quotations are from the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted.