Some things take time

We live in a press-button, instant society when so much is done just by pressing one or two buttons or buying things ready prepared.  A lot of food is ready in a couple of minutes in the microwave.  But I remember as a child, seeing my mother bake bread.  After kneading it she would put it in a massive bowl, cover it with a clean tea towel and place it in front of the blazing coal fire.  After about an hour it was twice the size.  Then she would divide it up into portions and bake it.  That hour in the warmth of the fire was so important.  She could have baked the bread and we could have eaten it but it wouldn't have been half as good as when the dough had risen to its maximum capacity.  Those were the days when we seemed to have more time to do things like that.



Pictures of freshly baked bread taken from a magazine


We know then that some things take time if we are to see them at their best.  Any young lady who is preparing to go out on a date will confirm that!  But seriously, in many walks of life we find this is true - sculptors will chip away for many weeks, even months to achieve the desired results; a craftsman will keep on improving his work and not be content with the first attempt.  Quality so often takes a long time to achieve.

I think the finest example of this is the diamond.  It comes from the Greek word, adámas, meaning unbreakable.  It has the highest hardness and thermal conductivity of any bulk material and this determines their use in cutting and polishing tools.  (Thanks to wikipedia for this information) 

The very lucrative diamond trade

Basically carbon, most natural diamonds are formed at high pressure, high temperature conditions existing at 140-190 kilometres (87-120 miles) in the earth mantle over periods of 1 -3.3 billion years - i.e. 25%-75% of the age of planet Earth.  They are brought nearer to the surface by deep volcanic eruptions.  It is said that diamonds are just carbon that stayed on the job!

The beauty of a diamond

How time changes the appearance of carbon!

We would use carbon as a form of fuel for burning but we wouldn't dream of burning a diamond!  We wouldn't think of carbon as something beautiful but diamonds are considered a very desirable accessory just for that reason.  What a difference time makes!

So sometimes when we have to wait for something, it may be because God is doing something more special that can't be hurried.  My hope and prayer is that as the years progress in my life, that God will use the time to hone me and work on me so that I become a better person than I was 10, 20 or more years ago.  That might just take a long time.