COFFEE ON THE DOCK

 Today I can choose. I can choose whom and how I will serve. I can surrender to things that alarm or seem unchangeable; I can resent, despair or obsess. Then again, I can put each moment, each thing, each person into the nail-scarred Hands. I can declare that God is great and greatly to be praised. Lord God Almighty, Giver of Choice, thank You that today I CAN choose.

 I am not a horticulturist but I do know a little about roots. Deep, extensive roots provide water, nutrition and stability; weak roots produce weak plants. Rocky, dry or soil with little nutrition is no place for abundant growth. There are many lessons here, not the least of which is the importance of being planted in the right place. Father, guide me to the richest soil. Deliver me from fallow ground and take me deeper.

Almost perfect moments come along from time to time. But while perfection is a believable concept, it is never a reality in this life. We pursue it, admire it and occasionally get a glimpse of it, only to eventually realize the truth: simply stated, God is perfect, nothing or no one else is. Oh Lord, my Perfect Redeemer, though I am but a wandering exile from true perfection, you confront my shortcomings with mercy.

The table is set for a new day. Only God knows exactly what is prepared and ready to be set before me. I must now leave behind my simple-minded ways and ready myself for new insight, higher life, greater things. Am I ready for today? Only the day will tell, but the One who provides it will also carry me through it. Lord, today is the day You have made; I’m good with that. Lift me in Your arms.

I must keep in mind that whatever is beyond my reach was put there by God. In some cases things are just beyond touch to urge me forward, in others, the extra distance is for my protection. Ultimately, the One who places things beyond my grasp can just as easily drop them in my lap if it accomplishes His will. Blessed Lord, I trust Your ways, knowing that what is inaccessible for me is firmly in Your grip.

I prefer things to be easy. Will I never learn? Effortless, carefree subsistence ultimately leaves me empty, shallow, selfish and without purpose. It is the daily grind of keeping a steadfast heart that produces the genuine joy found only in faithful obedience to God. Lord God, Fountain of Truth and Wisdom, another day, another lesson…oh joy...no really, OH JOY ETERNAL! My heart is inclined to Your ways.

A seasonal shift, change in the air; almost unperceivable at first, then obvious signs emerge. I love how God works in both nature and in me. There is always something afoot, new seasons arrive unannounced. Grace for where I have trod recedes, grace for what is next appears. Lord of All Creation, acclimate my heart to what approaches. Grant me a new measure of grace; more of You in me…much more.

People are God’s principle means of developing divine qualities in us.   As we learn to be truly grateful for this process we make huge spiritual strides. How would God provoke me to change without others? Raw truth, without the test of practical application, would leave me fundamentally unchanged. Lord, thank you for the relentless test of walking in love. Guide me through the maze of forgiving, blessing and lifting others.

Extension of the Kingdom of God in me and through me to others must not be an afterthought; spiritual progress cannot be accomplished with life’s leftovers. Scripture proclaims: “the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it.” Today matters, and how intentionally I approach it will affect its outcome. Lord, help me lay hold, rattle my cage until I come at last to You.

I treasure the moments when God’s love flows freely through me to others. I know it should be constant, but sadly, perpetual self-awareness regularly restricts its unobstructed passage. On those occasions when the channel is open, His divine passion passes unhindered and I myself am more exhilarated and deeply fulfilled than at any other time. Lord, forgive me for monopolizing Your love by my neediness.

I’m standing just offstage; the curtain is about to rise on a brand new day. Past performance informs the moment, but this hour has never been. Will I confidently step forward in grace and mercy, or will I drag along yesterday’s shortcomings, misgivings and calamities? Lord of New Beginnings, You have given me this new day. Let Your light wash over me. May the glory of Your brightness be seen in me.

My earthly excursion must be trod on mountaintops and deep valleys alike; each day brings gains and losses. My goal is to please God, yet it is difficult to take hold of eternal things while constantly immersed in the temporal.  Unruly sin and deep regret accompany my pilgrimage, but mercy and forgiveness deliver me daily. Lord, I thank You that You walk with me, before me, after me, within me.

It is a delightful mystery how an aroma can transport me to a different place. Fragrances bind with events, places, people; a passing scent can return me to my great grandmother’s home, awaken a lost memory or activate an emotion. God has bequeathed unlimited ways for us to learn, grow and experience fullness of life. O Lord my Creator and Sustainer, I stand in awe of You, I marvel at Your ways.

The Master saw Nathanael approaching and said of him, "Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false." Nothing false, what an amazing endorsement! I long to be that kind of person. Progress has most definitely been made, but still I struggle. Lord of Light, take me to the next level. Whatever is false, whatever is impure, whatever is disingenuous, exterminate from me now.

Striving to enter rest is the daily conundrum of the soul. It seems that most of my energy is exhausted in resistance, only to find rest in abandon. What sweet whisperings await the relinquished heart! Lord, arrest me body, soul and spirit. Teach me to succumb to Your promptings BEFORE running headlong into walls. Constrain me to “Come Unto” before I ”Go Therefore.” At Your feet is the better part.

I am in the debt of those who have touched my life. Like surgical instruments in the hands of the Great Physician, God has pressed people into my life to cut away what harms me from within. I have often resented those used for the deepest cuts, only later to realize that they have done me great good, even if they intended otherwise. Father, keep me under the knife and thank You for all whom You choose to use.

We feel compelled to “have the last word” in a conversation, but having the right words is far more important. Life and death proceed from our lips. A Biblical, Spirit-informed filter between the mind and the mouth serves everyone’s best interest. Slowing the velocity of my reply increases the effectiveness of the filter. Lord, let Your words percolate through mine. May only what is bathed in Your love leave my lips.

Some days are better than others, but each day we are given is preferable to no day at all. God’s offer of another diurnal passage portends unlimited possibilities. I am alive with purpose; His purpose. Joys and sorrows come unannounced; that they come is of less import than how I respond. Father, You care for us more than we can know in this world, I praise you for the joys and cast my cares upon You.

The construction of highways through mountains has always intrigued me. Millions of tons of rock must be repositioned, much of it with explosives. A violent process produces a safe and peaceful journey for subsequent travelers. Only God’s Word can construct a highway through the mountains of confusion we face in this life. Lord, only You offer a thruway of truth and guidance through worldly obstructions.

The human circumstance can be confusing: sand between the toes and eternity in the heart. Every moment demands that we draw upon the resources of each source. Only in God’s will can we find the needed balance. Blessed are You, King of the Universe, Who grants us life and meaning. Show me today how to walk faithfully to my earthly call while drawing from the well of heaven.

I am not capable of mapping God's incredible will. I must trust Him to reveal it in each step of obedience. He has promised to guide the steps of the righteous. The steps. I prefer more foreknowledge. Yes, advanced guidance seems reasonable, yet faith must be developed God’s way rather than my own. Lord, I am pleased to do it Your way. Teach me the daily walk of faith and cheerful trust.

The first time I saw a rose bush properly pruned it stunned me. It went from a healthy looking plant to a simple stick-like shadow of its former self. I thought it was ruined; I was wrong. As it turned out, it grew more beautiful and productive later that spring. It seems like most everything is now being pruned in and around me. Yes Lord, this is good. I am thankful and welcome Your holy work.

While I have my moments of sorrow, I am thankful that God has gifted me with a happy heart. There is an unquenchable, unrestrainable joy nested in the heart of the willingly submitted. Hope abounds, outlasts, overcomes; lip’s corners turn upward, then sings my soul.  Lord of Everlasting Joy, thank You; thank You again, and again. There it is, joy has come in the morning, I’m smiling.

We spend a lot of time considering what we want and how we will attain it, yet make little effort to understand why we want it in the first place. Too often, after obtaining long-sought goals, our pursuits leave us exhausted and disappointed. Discerning the “why” before the start can deliver us from the wrong chase. Lord, help me truthfully discern my desires. Keep me from running headlong down empty trails.

Criticism is an important component of our growth process. Even if offered with wrong motives, it is a huge motivator for needed changes. I do not like to be criticized, but have learned that much of my progress has been impelled by it. A person fully conscious of the firm grip of God’s hand may be stung, but never devastated by the disapproval of others. Father, sustain me and transform me.

Emotions may be stirred by many things but the soul cannot be awakened without divine initiative. It is the spark of the Almighty that instigates deep searching or gnawing spiritual hunger. A horse will not walk straight without a hand on the reigns; I must never forget the constant need for God’s hand upon me. Lord of Glory and All Wisdom, You stir my soul and steady my steps. I welcome for Your divine intervention.