Here I am, Lord–suctioned to a whale tongue, clothing saturated with saltwater saliva clutching my coffee cup. Look at that grip! Uh, oh. You brought me here to talk about coffee?
Can I just say that coffee is full of antioxidant qualities and reduces the risk of infections? It extends your life span, keeps you thin, boosts mental health, decreases risk of heart disease…
Yes, I did just google that on my phone.
Yes, You alone are truly Omnipotent, Omniscient, and Omnipresent.
No, You don’t ever have slowdowns, outages, or require troubleshooting.
Okay, flip on the projector, let’s get this over with.
Okay, so yes– that is me cutting off three lanes of traffic to get to a Dunkin Donuts. Coffee is very important when you are about to face a room full of first graders. Look at the ease in which I drifted across all those lanes and slid into that parking space! Fast-forward to modern day. Hmm, You may have a point here. When I pull into Starbucks my navigation does say “Welcome Home.” Hey, that’s not fair! That choreographed dance to Madonna’s Cherish featuring coffee as the object of my affection was only in my head! There I am at church when they announce a 21-day fast. Wait–isn’t this a good thing? Look how ready I am to cut out all these foods and beverages! (Except coffee, of course. I obviously need that. How else will I have strength to get through the day?)
Is that the Holy Spirit holding up a red flag? (Sometimes I forget He is here. I should be talking to Him more…)
No, you cannot ask me to give up coffee for 21 days. That is crazy. Aren’t You a good father that gives His kids good gifts? Coffee is an excellent gift. In protest I will remain in this whale, arms folded and pouting, plotting the route to my next caffeine fix.
I guess we do have to address the red flag. That doesn’t happen unless something is about to get between You and I. I did sign up to be held accountable to Your word.
“You shall have no other gods before Me.” (Exodus 20:3)
Coffee is the last thing I think of when I go to bed and the first thing I think about when I wake up.
Maybe that should be You.
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46)
Lord, thank You for showing me the thin line between loving something and worshipping it. Help me worship You alone. Thank You for coffee. It is a good gift but it is not the most important one. Thank You for helping me make it through 21 days without it. You gave me space to focus on how You fill my needs each day. Now I can enjoy coffee in its proper spot–below and not above You.