COFFEE ON THE DOCK

A farmer cannot control how weather will affect his future crops, but it is guaranteed that if no seed is put into the ground, no harvest will come forth. Everything in my hand is a seed; my time, my talents and my treasures. The future can’t be controlled, nor need it be feared. The seed I put in the ground today is the best forecast of what is ahead.   “ Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” Luke 6:38 (NKJV). Everything I sow or don’t sow today affects my future. He who has given me this moment also holds all my tomorrows in His Mighty Hands. Lord of All, You are rightly praised by all creation. Grant me grace to sow the right seed today and confidently trust Your daily guidance, provision and sheltering right arm. You are my refuge today and hope for all eternity. 

]“Therefore, I hated life because the work that was done under the sun was distressing to me, for all is vanity and grasping for the wind,” Ecclesiastes 2:11 (NKJV). The seemingly universal mantra “Follow your dream” is constantly declared from kindergartens to Ivory League classrooms, from kitchen tables to pulpits, from boardrooms to backyards, but is it sound advice? Actually, dreams can mutate into nightmares or become no more than “grasping for the wind”. For the person of faith, dreams, like every other human desire, must be bathed in holy surrender to the Giver of Life. I refuse to knowingly substitute an earthly dream for my heavenly calling. God’s dream for my life must become my relentless, singular pursuit. Lord God, Your Sovereign Will does not diminish my life it makes it worth living! Pull me deeper into Your purpose and plans. 

“O God You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You In a dry and thirsty land Where there is no water. So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, To see Your power and Your glory,” Psalm 63:1-2 (NKJV). Daybreak is very quiet. God’s whispers seem more easily heard in the gentle rollout of a new day. Soon the world awakens and the still of dawn is lost in the cacophony of life. An indispensable characteristic of the God-directed life is seeking, hearing and obeying the voice of God. So, I push away the rushing horde of things this new day brings and remember Jesus’ words to Mary as others complained and she sat at the Master’s feet, “ but one thing is necessary, Mary has chosen   the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” Dearest Lord of Life, early will I seek You. Thank You for the blessedness of silence. Teach me to hear accurately and obey swiftly. 

“Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror.   For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing,” James 1:22-25 (ESV). I saw a news report describing how “skinny mirrors” are designed to make you look thinner and are utilized in the changing rooms of many retailers. Have we become so enamored with imagery that we would actually spend money to intentionally lie to ourselves? Yes, we would. However, lying to myself has no actual benefits; self-deception is toxic and dangerous. James speaks of God’s Word being a mirror; it never lies or projects a false image. We may ignore or forget the truth, but truth never changes. Lord Almighty may Your ...

We are commanded in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (ESV), “Pray without ceasing”. This sounds impossible for most of us but remaining in a prayerful attitude of listening to God, speaking to God, seeking His Will and acknowledging His Presence should be the daily bread of every child of God. Work, play, ministry, study, exercise, fellowship, pondering; this is WHAT I do. But remaining in a state of prayerfulness should always be HOW I do what I do. Many mistakes can be avoided by maintaining a listening ear and surrendered heart in whatever we are doing. Most of Jesus’ miraculous ministry happened along His way to somewhere. Dusty roads became places of miracles because he was always plugged into the Father’s heart. LORD, help me live this out each and every day. May my temporary circumstances never drown out Your Eternal Voice.

“Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for THE NAME,” Acts 5:41 (ESV). Rejoicing!? They had just been jailed, almost put to death, severely beaten, commanded to stop preaching the Gospel and finally released. Then they rejoiced for being worthy to suffer! You cannot fake this level of dedication and faith. No one likes to suffer, but it seemed small compared to what they knew. They had left everything and walked with Jesus. They heard His teaching, saw the miracles. His arrest, His beatings, crucifixion, entombment and resurrection. He ascended into heaven as they watched! Their present circumstance of persecution could not rise high enough to overwhelm their joyful call to serve their Redeemer! LORD, awaken in me faith that rejoices no matter the circumstances I suffer for Your Glory.

“The integrity of the upright will guide them, But the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them,” Proverbs 11:3 (ESV). I have taken plenty of costly shortcuts in life, but thankfully, my moral compass is permanently set on integrity. This means that while I am prone to make wrong turns along the way, I always have a way back home if I will pay attention. When I realize my mistakes and turn around, I end up headed back on course in the right direction. Integrity is a guidance system that is often ignored but never fails when practiced. Though a price will always be paid for ignoring it in the first place, integrity’s trustworthy calibration will turn disaster into delight if trusted and practiced. Glorious God, Your Ways are beyond compare. Thank You for Your Word and Spirit’s work within me and through me.