COFFEE ON THE DOCK

God must be honored in all we do. Honor is not merely acknowledging Him; it is offering Him our first, our best, our all. The heart that recognizes the authority, wisdom, power and goodness of “The Great I AM” will have no trouble trusting Him through both storms and temptations. We waste our efforts storing up earthly things only to see them slip away on the tides of life, but he who learns to store God’s Word in his heart will never lack for trust, wisdom and faith. Glorious El Shaddai, to breathe Your Name expunges my soul of all fear and releases unrelenting hope and assurance!

Life is replete with letdowns. Some are truly consequential but most are petty. The problem is the small ones stick together, and if left festering, eventually mushroom into something truly ominous. If not diminished, discouragement will set in with depression soon to follow. Learning to cast our disappointments into the sea of God’s love is vital to spiritual advance. Each new day offers fresh opportunities to cast our cares upon the One who truly cares for us. Father, thank for Your Unfailing Love which is my deliverance from letdowns. Fill my heart with Your Joy and teach me to console others with the same care I have received.  

I treasure the moments when God’s love flows freely through me to others. In those all-too-infrequent occasions when it does I sense something unearthly, I breathe rarified air. I know His love should always flow unencumbered, but sadly, perpetual self-awareness and pressings needs regularly restrict 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. Help me be a constantly open channel. 

I have often marveled at the instinctive creativity of a small child. A stick in the hand is easily reimagined into a ship hurtling through space, a simple flower into a royal wedding bouquet. The effect of sin is to turn this wonderful creativity stamped upon our soul by the Creator Himself into craftiness. As pride and selfishness grows creativity is used to devise ingenious ways of deceit and wrongdoing. The only corrective for this is to return our creativity to its original purpose, to use it for good. Holy Father, may Your Divine Nature turn my instinctive ingenuity into creative ways to spread Your love to others.  

I am by temperament an independent person, but a lifetime of experience instructs me that I need all the help I can get. There is no shame in interdependence. God specifically designed each of us with strengths that others need and conversely, weaknesses that invite the strength of others. In this divine construct the hand cannot say to the foot “I don’t need you”. Father, thank You for blueprinting a life that leads to giving and receiving. Keep me on the lookout for needs that I can meet and grant me the humility to receive the comfort, corrective advice, aid and sustenance I need. 

The hardening of the heart is a slow process. It may begin as a particularly prized opinion or commitment to a specific course of action. Disappointments can stiffen the heart and procrastination is a path to callousness. We harden our hearts by rebellion against needed disciplines, through bitterness over circumstances or by unbridled selfishness. As the hardening continues excuses are made, all contrary opinions are cast aside and no authority is trusted. In the end it becomes resistance to truth itself. Father, grant me a pliable heart. May nothing I think or do be held so dear that truth may no longer penetrate. 

Oddly, we admire the success of someone we don’t know, but envy the success of someone we do. Like mildew in a dark, wet place, malice grows quickly in the heart that harbors jealousy, emptying the soul of joy, peace and purpose. From there it is a slippery slope from witty criticisms to skillful, malicious rumormongering and malignant dismembering of the reputations of others. To covet someone else’s life is disavowal of God’s care and intent for our own. O Lord, My Healer, eradicate from my soul all envy, jealousy and malice. May thankfulness and joy cleanse every thought and word.