One of my morning habits is having a cup of coffee. With a two-step process, my Keurig quickly brews my favorite prepackaged blend. Since I like my coffee piping hot, I just hit the beverage button on the microwave, and within 30 seconds or so, I am headed to my study or the creek. All of this takes only a few minutes. But sometimes I like coffee the old-fashioned way. It takes time and patience, and in this case, the adage “good things come to those who wait” applies. First, gather everything needed to make the coffee. Then choose and measure the beans, grind them, heat the water slowly, and add the coffee. Let it brew SLOWLY, remove from the heat, and let it settle. Pour carefully through a strainer or cloth filter, then enjoy. One good cup of coffee in 15 minutes. Of course, there is the cleanup vs. throwing the coffee pod in the trash.
What is the spiritual application? Are we more likely to use a popular app on our phones for our morning devotion? A quick insight from a popular writer, a favorite preacher, or a teacher? Maybe we stop at a convenience store to fill our coffee mugs, jump in the car, and listen to our favorite podcast as we fight morning traffic. Or is it listening to our favorite radio station, which plays “positive and encouraging” content? Is this what God desires? No, it's more than that. But we have become content with our few minutes with God on the go. We have made Him a convenient God. The extra time allotted to us with all our modern conveniences is so we can spend more time with Him, quality time that includes being still, hearing His voice, and giving thanks and praise, all leading to a time of true worship.
Andrew Murray, in his book “The School of Obedience,” challenges his readers to what he calls the “Morning Watch”: thirty minutes spent with God in prayer and reading the Bible. He prefaces this as “being a motive principle” that causes one to love and faithfully keep this time. It is not to be a religious exercise that becomes a burden. No, the desire is for fellowship with God.
There is nothing wrong with a great cup of coffee and having a morning watch. He has given all things for us to enjoy enrichingly.
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Incredible devotional! You connected with me on the human level, with my appetite for a good cup of morning coffee, and also on my spiritual level, with my hunger and thirst for time with my Creator. I always feel the NEED for starting my day at Jesus’ feet, reading and hearing His word. I choose that good thing, over the pressures that this world would try to press upon me, to rob me of peace. Therefore I seek, knock, and ask first! Psalm25:4-5, Show me thy ways o LORD, teach me Thy paths, lead me in Thy truth, and teach me, for Thou art the God of my salvation. On Thee do I wait all the day.” Thank you Brother Matt, for this word from the LORD! I receive it!