COFFEE ON THE DOCK

“With a mighty hand and outstretched arm; His love endures forever,” Psalm 136:12 (NIV). One of the constant blessings of my life is giving and receiving so many hugs in fellowship with others. Both sharing and receiving the love of God with His children gives me great joy and activates even more of the love of God within me. Little arms, huge arms, soft touches, warm embraces, shoulder squeezes, handshakes and pats on the arm nourish my soul. Holy hugs are just one of the many ways God “supplies all our needs according to His riches in glory” while simultaneously engaging us in partnership and ministry as His arms extended. Lord, I am Yours, make me an instrument of Your love today as I embrace others in Your Name. And thank You Father for all who are willing to be Your arms extended to me. 

“Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean, but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox,” Proverbs 14:4 (ESV). Simply said, oxen make a mess while providing abundant work. A visit to a construction site provides the same lesson. Dust and debris, piles of materials, noisy machinery and scurrying workers may seem confusing to the unseasoned observer, but productivity requires a certain level of disorder and mayhem. A home without children is easily kept neat and clean, but a growing family’s domicile can look like a small twister just passed through. Much of life is spent cleaning up the messes progress requires. The same is true of our spiritual life. The unwelcome tasks of shoveling the mess out of stalls, pitchforking the hay and hauling feed must be done. Holy Father, thank you for the opportunities to extend Your Kingdom, I do not resent cleaning the barn. The Joy of the Lord is my strength! 

In the last verse of the parable of the sower we read, “As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.” Matthew 13:23 (ESV). My mother had such a green thumb, but I am not much of a gardener. I do however know a little about roots and soil. Deep, extensive roots provide water, nutrition and stability; bad soil produces weak plants. Rocky, dry soil or dirt 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. For Abraham, that meant a huge act of faith and obedience. He was commanded to abandon the soil with which he was familiar and to obediently travel to a distant land yet unknown to him. Father deliver me from wasted efforts in fallow ground and continually guide me to fertile soil, no matter the distance or how difficu...

“For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ,” 1 Corinthians 3:11 (ESV). But we foolishly try nonetheless. We’re not actually attempting to replace the Cornerstone of our faith, but simply trying to “shore up” our lives with other things (money, fame, intellectualism, etc.) But these “additions” can weaken our understructure. It’s never known how strong someone is until they are seriously tested under heavy pressure. I’ve often been amazed at the fortitude of some when the really difficult tests come, and equally amazed at the weakness of others who seemed so powerful until they were tested. Like buildings, the visible structure of someone’s life can seem outwardly beautiful, but it is the foundation that will determine its survival in upheavals and storms. Lord of All You are my Rock and Sure Foundation. All that has been built on sinking sand within me must go. On the bedrock of Your Word I dwell safe and secure.

“Speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head…when each part is working properly, [it] makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” These two phrases found in Ephesians 4:15-16 answer the question so often asked: “What’s wrong with my church?” God will move us around in the Body of Christ for legitimate reasons, but more often than not, people become dissatisfied that their “needs are not getting met”. But here in theses verses it points the needle in a different direction, the root problem is we need to “grow up in every way”. “Working properly” includes three elements: truth, love and work. “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap,” Galatians 6:7 (ESV).  God will do for you what you make happen for others. S o, I must lovingly get to work and grow up. No excuses. Father make me an effective instrument of Your love and a blessing to all. 

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus,” Philippians 4:6-7 (NKJV). I was robbed recently. I was strolling along being thankful for so many things and it happened; a situation I have little control over and that I had already turned over to God came back to mind. I started worrying about it again and my peace was stolen. Actually, every time I am stressing over anything I am being robbed and something highly valuable is stolen away. "Be anxious for nothing" is not a suggestion, it is a Scriptural command that comes loaded with the backup of God's promises. And there I was being robbed of peace, robbed of promises, robbed of sonship and robbed of victory. Father forgive my wanderings through the dark places of worry. You are The LORD My Light and The LORD My Victor! 

“I will meditate on Your precepts and fix my eyes on Your ways. I will delight in Your statutes; I will not forget Your Word,” Psalm 119:15-16 (ESV). I am hard-wired for incessant enterprise and creativity, my mind requiring almost constant occupation. But while in prayer I heard two simple words deep in my heart: “make space.” Like a muddied spring or a polluted well, a cluttered mind is functional, but not beneficial. Many whisperings of the Almighty are lost in the din of mental noise. Inactivity is not the answer; I must instead tune my heart to constant communion with God, guided by principles that result from infusion of His Word. Father help me to align my thoughts to Yours. Deliver me from relentless mental activity that impedes Your Voice. Teach me to be still and listen as I pursue the purposes for which You designed me.