Coffee With The Lord

I’ve traveled quite a bit overseas – in other countries – away from home.  I know what it is to be in another country where I do not speak the language and experience a problem or emergency… I can tell you the stories!  It’s a lonely, helpless feeling… (and on a few occasions no cell phone, no number to call, no one who understands me)!!  Some of you who travel a lot know what I’m talking about… FEELING HELPLESS!

I read the following words in my Bible this morning and was greatly encouraged!

“Hear my cry, O God!  Listen to my prayer!  From the ends of the earth I call to you when my heart is faint!” (Psalm 61.1-2)

And as I reflected on those words another passage came to mind…

 “Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?  If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!  If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. If I say, ‘Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,’ even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.” (Psalm 139:7–12)

 Hey, that’s good news for those who travel a lot – you can always call on Lord when you’re in need!  It’s good news for anyone who reverences (i.e. “fears”) and trusts the Lord wherever they they may be – whatever emergency they may be facing!

A “portable fortress” – a “movable” one? Whoever heard of such a thing?!

Usually a “fortress” was strategically located, impressive, and solidly built – located in a difficult to reach location away from accessible thorofares… You travel to them and planned to stay awhile.

But imagine a “fortress” wherever and whenever you needed one…

Well that’s what David, when he was being pursued and on the run from King Saul imagined (read the introductory remarks to Psalm 59 in your Bible)…

Here what David had to say in the Psalm…

“Deliver me from my enemies, O my God! Protect me from those who rise up against me!

“O my Strength, I WILL WATCH FOR YOU, for you O God ARE MY FORTRESS! My God in His steadfast love WILL MEET ME! God will let me look in triumph on my enemies!

“I will sing of Your strength; I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning! FOR YOU HAVE BEEN TO ME A FORTRESS AND A REFUGE IN THE DAY OF MY DISTRESS! O my Strength I will sing praises to You, for You, O God ARE MY FORTRESS, THE God who shows me steadfast love!” (From Psalm 59 ESV)

Wow, a “Fortress” wherever and whenever you need one! How good is that? Just look around in your difficulties and challenges… He’ll be there!!!

The “love of God” is wonderful! On the other hand, the Bible also clearly teaches that the “wrath of God” is real – It is His righteous response to unrepentant sin and persistent rebellion.

And then there’s His “discipline” … It is painful and unpleasant, but redemptive! It flows from a “Father heart” and its purposes are remedial and constructive – the character and holiness of His children (check out Hebrews 12:5-11). In fact, I’m reminded that one of our favorite verses affirming the “good purposes” of God in our lives (Jeremiah 29:11… “I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope!”) is actually set within a context of the Lord’s discipline (70 years of exile in Babylon for their sin… check out Jeremiah 29:8-10).

So… Attempting to “mirror” the heart of God, we always sought to make the “discipline” of our children “redemptive” … As a pastor and Christian organizational leader, I purposed that necessary “discipline” would strive to be “remedial” – necessary at times, but always “redemptive!”

That’s why, this morning during my time of “coffee with the Lord” I rejoiced at the words of Apostle Paul when he addressed the issue of necessary “discipline” in the church in 2 Corinthians 2:5-11… (And anyone who has spent time reading Paul’s epistles and Acts knows Paul did not shy away from necessary “discipline!”)

Here’s the direction and exhortation he gave the Corinthian church after some necessary “discipline”…

“Now if anyone has caused pain, he has caused it not to me, but in some measure—not to put it too severely—to all of you. For such a one, this punishment by the majority is enough, so you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. So I beg you to reaffirm your love for him! …Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.” (From 2 Corinthians 2:5-11 ESV)

So as a parent of children, as a pastor, teacher, or organizational leader (and Christian!)… may we purpose with God’s help to “discipline” with the purposes of our Heavenly Father always in focus… “redemptive discipline” in love!

Someone needed to hear this today, I believe!