Coffee With The Lord

Jesus was (and is) an incredible model for ministry under stress and pressure! He reveals to us the legitimacy of the human challenges we face in serving Him as well as the valid need for self-care if we are going to serve Kingdom interests with maximum spiritual, emotional and physical resources. He also demonstrates that human need sometimes makes demands upon us that require us to draw upon supernatural resources when we feel emotionally and spiritually spent. He reveals to us that occasions like that can provide an opportunity for the supernatural to occur.

What prompted all of these reflections? The account I read today in Matthew 14…

John the Baptist, Jesus’ cousin and esteemed colleague in ministry, had been murdered. The Bible says, “When Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. When he went ashore He saw a great crowd, and had compassion on them and healed their sick.” He even met their physical needs by performing the supernatural act of feeding “over five thousand men, besides women and children.” I imagine at that point He was bone tired and emotionally and spiritually spent! The Bible says, “Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after He had dismissed them, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray.” Then very early in the morning he appeared to them walking on the water, invited Peter to walk to him on the water, and when he began to sink, rescued him. When they had crossed over to the other side the challenges to ministry were there again… “They brought to Him all who were sick and implored Him that they might only touch the fringe of His garment. And as many as touched it were made well.”

Wow!! I guess the lesson for me in this is that I need to exercise appropriate self-care (physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually). But when legitimate ministry demands arise and I have to draw on depleted reserves to meet them I can depend on God to provide the “Spiritual adrenaline” I need. However, I should not fall prey to toxic co-dependency or noxious workaholic tendencies! I’ve got to know when to withdraw and how to rebuild my physical, emotional, spiritual and mental resources in His presence. That one reason I have “coffee with the Lord” daily! (I hope I’m getting all of this in balance – believe me, I working on it!)