just a cup of coffee?

8/23/06

I woke up early this morning, not just early for me, early by regular standards, 5:00. I read for a couple hours, hoping that I’d be able to sleep again after than, but to my dismay, was actually ready to get up at 7 am. Not knowing what to do with myself, two sleeping friends in my apartment, I quietly got ready and snuck out of the house.

With no particular end in mind, I found myself here at a park (whose name I haven’t bothered to notice in the 10 plus times I’ve been here) Sitting down at a bench looking over the water with McDonald’s hotcakes and coffee. (Yes I am an American, and I’m really better at it than I’d like to admit.) Although I’m not all that used to going through the drive through for breakfast… which is how I forgot to ask for creamer or sweetener for my coffee. Its been a long time since I tried to drink coffee plain, like a good old farmer.

That’s who I think of when I think of black coffee. Old farmers. They are some of the only people really tough enough to genuinely like it that way. My generation is just a bit too sissy for that.

But God brought to my mind such a sweet memory of coffee, like the value of a cup of cold water can mean so much in the name of the Lord… When I was 16 and on a trip with Teen Missions to Trinidad and Tobago, we were working quite hard physically for a month, much harder than any of us had worked before, and personally since. Building a building for a church. We stayed in pastor Gerald Samaroo’s house that month. All of us teenagers, none of us really drank coffee. But for Pastor G…. we all suddenly loved coffee. Every day he would invite two different kids to join him for a special treat, Trinidad coffee with mounds of sugar and creamer. That we enjoyed it so much probably had something to do with the fact that we were getting a break from working in the mud/sun. It really was so special to us though.

The hard work, really it was very fulfilling, and definitely good for us… but something about that special break. In a time when I thought I was very grown up, it made me feel like a little kid, and full of joy at being one. That’s good for anybody, I don’t care who you are or how old you are.

And I know I am part of a generation and culture that is known for valuing comforts and rewards more than hard work and effort and we often times are accused of looking only for immediate satisfaction and avoid the journey/suffering/commitment that could be involved. But… while I do acknowledge that hard work and endurance and pain and suffering have value and purpose, I also believe that I serve a God who likes to pull me aside and sit me down for syrupy coffee sometimes in the middle of the journey.

He wants to remind me of his love for me! And it is that love that gives me joy in my work and in my life. It is his love that compels me. It is his love that is my purpose.

I think that’s part of what God was doing in Nehemiah 8:10 when in the middle of their work, he called them aside that they would be reminded to enjoy him, and he renewed their joy.

From a child's perspective

You know we can use such 'churchy' words without noticing. This is a fun example:

I was at camp a few weeks ago with 5-7 graders from the neighborhood. Most of these kids have been with us on Wednesday nights for the last year at least, hearing stories of God.
Well on the last night, several of the girls and I were laying on the sidewalk looking up at the stars and 'listening for God'. The camp director, came by and pointed out a large cloud, and said "look, it looks like a dove, that represents the peace of God. Isn't that cool." And then he walked off.
One of the girls wondered out loud what several of them were thinking, "A dove? Whats that? It means the peace of God?"
Tramesha answered, "Yeah, but its just a small piece of God, he's really big, and he's in things all over the whole world."

I started cracking up. They all said, 'whats so funny,'... 'she must have got something'... 'God must have told her something'... 'what'd he say'...'what'd he give you'???
"He gave me you guys."

Called Oaks of Righteousness

"And they shall be called Oaks of Righteousness.... a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor."
(Isaiah 60)

A brief background. This week, God is showing me something anew, a foundation of faith in my life, he is creating anew. About the Power of His Spoken Word. That it does not return void without accomplishing his purpose. And that in him is Life, and Resurrection Life, continual and natural victory over death. He spoke a word, and there has been light ever since. He does not have to recreate it everyday. He spoke plants into existence, and they have been growing and multiplying ever since. Not because the ground produces life on its own, in fact by nature it causes decay, but because the nature of God which flows through his creation, is of life. To take a tiny hard seed, and put it in an unlikely place of darkness and decay and to create victory breaking forth to light and life (and by no effort of its own, only by the power and word of God)..... This concept although not so new to my mind, is being made new in my spirit, and it is such good news. I am full of joy.

...

This morning after work I went by Spirit Ranch for a 'good morning' with James and a little quite time with God on what is fast becoming one of my favorite breakfast nooks and a place for Java with Jesus: James's back porch.

God caught my eye and impressed me with his majesty in a simple thing. A huge tree leaning over the water, with the sunlight reflecting off the water onto the underside of the branches, just dancing with light, leaves flickering in the air, huge trunk and aged branches firmly standing.... It was sweet. But sweeter was the voice of God, whispering through that picture... And they shall be called oaks of righteousness. Immediately I knew that he was speaking of the kids, the neighborhood kids. My spirit jumped for joy inside of me.. Shenoka, even Shenoka. Patrick, Jarmarlyn.... Raylan, Desiree... (maybe any that I will believe for)... A planting of the Lord. For the display of His splendor.

from tiny seeds in unlikely soil, God will bring life. Life, victorious life. Death will be shamed in the face of it. He will display his splendor, and he is chosing to do it in the 'least of these.'