COFFEE ON THE DOCK

I replaced an old pair of shoes recently. Strangely, though they had lost their maximum contribution to my life long ago, there was a last moment of indecision. I sometimes have a difficult time letting familiar things go. Our souls were created for eternity, but everything of this world is temporary. Only in heaven will our hearts find full equilibrium. Everlasting Father, you have all things in Your grasp; nothing is lost, nothing forgotten. You are my Eternal Constant. You never change. In You there is no lack. You are immutable, perpetual, timeless, relentless, boundless and never-ending.

What are the signs of a hardening heart? There are many such as indifference to spiritual issues, prayerlessness or refusal to listen to God or obey His promptings. A heart beginning to crust over is far more comfortable around spiritual cynicism or unbelief. Perhaps the most ominous sign is when we cut ourselves off from passionate believers, seeking rather to associate with those of little or no genuine faith. O Lord My Creator, You formed me for Your will. Keep me stirred and pliable; work me over like moldable clay. Thank you for the power of fellowship and the witness of burning hearts.  

A cemetery is not only a place of honoring those who have passed; it is also a depository of unspent potential. The apostle Paul predetermined he would not leave anything unfinished when he departed this life. I was with my spiritual father, Costa Deir just before his earthly race was completed. Though dying, he was still writing, preaching, counseling, praying and mentoring, all from his in-home hospital bed. I was enlightened in his death as I had been in his life. Eternal Lord, help me finish strong, leaving no potential unspent. May advancing Your Kingdom consume my last reserves.

It is difficult to believe a society has ever been as pretentious as our own. Living by pretense is no life at all. God created mankind to bear His image, not exist in a culture of exaggeration, falsehood and fakery. Thankfully, the raw, straightforward simplicity of the Gospel begins ripping away pretentiousness upon arrival. Christ’s example of love, humility, obedience, truth and power awakens virtue and makes a clean sweep of all fraud. Lord God Almighty, shine Your blazing Light of Truth in me today. Illuminate the darkest corners of my soul with Your brightness and tear down every veneer. 

Each of us has been falsely maligned at one time or another. It is equally true that each of us has wrongly judged others. We must take great care in offering our opinions before our thoughts have been bathed in love and truth. The moment we vocalize our unfiltered assessments to those around us our misjudgments become malicious and dangerous. It is foolish to carelessly say whatever we think; loose talk starts wars and destroys relationships. Glorious God, forgive my indiscretions and brutish ways. Cleanse my mind of vain imaginations and seal my lips with wisdom and discretion. 

Generally speaking, I am not easily bamboozled. The great exception to this is my self-generated excuses to not do something I should but really don’t want to. Sadly, I often find my internal arguments for non-action quite impressive. Thanks be to the Spirit of the Living God who will not let me have my way without a fight. His constant and compelling promptings counter my self-deception and provoke me to action. Lord of Truth and Light, I am earnestly listening, fall afresh upon me. Reverse the work of selfishness in me and push me forward into those things that please You. 

Growing up in Florida did not prepare me for ice. On my first winter trip to the mountains I was filled with thirteen-year-old hubris. As I was again being warned of its slippery danger, I walked onto the ice. At the exact moment I smilingly said “no problem” both of my feet lost footing and I fell flat on my back. Ignorance, arrogance and stubbornness are a very dangerous brew indeed. Lord, You are my Faithful Instructor. Overconfidence and bullheadedness still remain in my soul; purge from me all indifference to Your voice and keep me safely within the boundaries of Your counsel.