Don’t Touch That Jell-O!
By Grant Gaines
Without question the longest four hours of a kid’s lifetime is the time between when Jell-O is put into the refrigerator to when it is finally firm. The temptation to eat that surgery sweet during the four hour layover rivals that of any other temptation the little boy or girl could ever fathom.
And here’s the bad thing about Jell-O—you can’t eat it before it’s ready. Duh. But as obvious as that sounds, Jell-O is different from any other dessert in this regard. If you were to take a premature bite of a cookie or brownie before your mom said you could have it, no one would notice the small indention on the divot-filled dessert. But Jell-O on the other hand is a whole different story.
Do you remember what happens if you try to take a small spoonful of Jell-O before it is ready? You leave the evidence of your overpowering sweet tooth in plain sight for all to see. Because Jell-O is a smooth, clear, unblemished treat, any external disturbance (your spoon) will leave a giant red flag that someone touched the Jell-O before mom said they could. Jell-O, the ultimate alarm system for any “dessert bandit”.
And just as every kid gets anxious as the clock passes like molasses in wintertime waiting for the Jell-O to set, we as Christians have a tendency to get impatient as we wait for God’s promises to be realized. But just as our mothers would do, our Heavenly Father warns us—in love—not to “touch that Jell-O” until it is set. Or in other words, don’t try to manufacture a miracle by your own power or advance your own agenda, wait for God’s perfect timing.
Apparently Israel had the same problem of “touching the Jell-O before it was ready” as well. God’s chosen people were just several hours into their first complete independence in over 400 years as they were leaving Egypt after the first Passover in Exodus 13. As they marched through the desert towards the Promise Land, Exodus 13:17-18 (NIV, bold mine) relays the following information, “When Pharaoh let the [Israelites] go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, ‘If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.’ So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea. The Israelites went up out of Egypt ready for battle.”
Did you notice how the Lord’s perspective differs from the Israelites’ in these two verses? God knew that if they faced war, the Israelites would fearfully flee back to bondage in Egypt. The Israelites on the other hand, “…went up out of Egypt ready to go to battle” (Exodus 13:18, NIV). Sounds like someone was ready to take some of that “Jell-O” before it was ready.
Isn’t it interesting that the very thing the Israelites thought they were prepared for was the very thing God knew that they could not handle?
In fact, later in the book of Exodus the Israelites did get their chance to flex their muscles and fight a war against the Egyptians as their backs were against the Red Sea. But we don’t read of any bravery, courage, or valor coming from this once boisterous people. Instead, Exodus 14:10 (NIV, bold mine) informs us that, “As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the LORD.” Are you sure you want that Jell-O right now?
The Israelites wanted God to give them their desires, on their timing, according to their agenda. But as we just saw from the Israelites’ example, we often aren’t ready to receive the request we asked God for, no matter how prepared we think we are.
The same error abounds in Christianity today as we have a tendency to “touch the Jell-O before it is set”. God commands us not to have sex outside of marriage (Exodus 20:14), and yet according to a survey done by USA Today in 2002, 95% of Americans have had premarital sex[1]. We think we are ready for that promotion at work, but God knows that an increase in salary could lead to a decreased devotion to Him (Matthew 6:24). We think we are ready for marriage, but God knows that at this point in your life love at first sight could cause you to forsake your First Love—Jesus (Revelation 2:4). We think we are ready to gain more leadership responsibility at church, but God sees the pride behind your desire which will lead to a growing chasm between you and the One you had originally desired to serve (Proverbs 16:5).
The reason the Lord is not giving you your desire, though it may align with His will (just as the Israelites desire to obtain the Promise Land aligned with God’s will), just might be because He still has some work to do on you before giving you your requests. 2 Peter 3:9 (NLT) instructs us that, “The Lord isn’t really being slow about His promise, as some people think. No, He is being patient for your sake….”
So while it may not be fun to wait for the “Jell-O to set”, we should find joy in the fact that God is not giving us over to our selfish desires as He did to the Israelites in Exodus 14 (see also Romans 1:24-32). And as we wait for God’s perfect timing, let us follow the advice of 1 Peter 5:6 (NIV) – “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time.”
God is waiting for the “Jell-O” to set, will you?
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©Grant Gaines 2013
