COFFEE ON THE DOCK

I love the early sunrise and late sunset of summer. More light, my soul craves it. Each new daybreak God brings all that is obscured by darkness into the light. It is so natural, so repetitive, that we lose sight of the blessing it is. Dark to light: God’s daily gift. Luminous Lord, drive all darkness from my soul. Give light to my eyes and keep my lamp burning. May others see Your radiance reflected in me today.

Since divine correction and instruction are the way to true life, God places learning stations throughout each new day. My tendency is to brush past each lesson too quickly, confident of what I think I know. But God’s goodness wins out, and despite my attempts to move on, I find myself back at the same learning station again and again. Dear Father, here I must make a full stop, thank You for Your persistent tutelage.

Weariness awakens selfishness and drains away kindness and consideration for others. It is an indicator of self-dependence and loss of vision. When I become overwhelmingly tired, God faithfully reminds me why I serve in the first place. Father, I owe You everything and I owe others Your love and kindness on which I necessarily depend. I am excited about serving You and the people You created in love.

A mental grasp of God is wholly unnecessary since His greatness is beyond human comprehension. I don’t have to wait for more understanding of His works and ways to praise him. He is worthy of outrageous, extravagant acclamation and adoration NOW. Great are You Lord and worthy of all honor and glory! My heart and mouth is full of praise to You my God and my strength.

My early years were spent learning WHAT to do, followed by decades of learning HOW to do what I did. More recently the focus has shifted to WHY I do what I do. Perhaps it takes a lifetime of journey to get to the question of motive. The ebb and flow of people and circumstances eventually strips away every veneer, depositing a simple prayer in our hearts: “Father, not my will, but Yours be done.”

I realize now more than ever God keeps me, He surrounds me like a wall. This has, at times, felt constraining; HOLY CONSTRAINT, what divine joy, what genuine FREEDOM. Why do we wear ourselves out to get what can never satisfy? Father, grant me the wisdom and discipline to show restraint. With Your love and grace You hem me in, forgive my attempts to squirm away from Your grasp.

The mercy of God requires no conditions. By the time we need mercy, nothing more CAN be done, that is why we need it. We who know little of unconditional love struggle with the very idea that God offers mercy of this nature. Don’t get me wrong, grace and mercy are powerful, every last strand of resistance to God’s ways will succumb to their advance. Most Merciful and Gracious God, do your holy work in me today.