Coffee With The Lord

We are in Lent… a time set aside for Christians around the world to prepare their hearts for Holy week – celebrating and remembering the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.  This morning my Bible reading included Isaiah 53 – a prophecy about the sacrificial suffering of the “Servant” (Jesus) for the sin of the world.  I’ve got to tell you, as my eyes pored over the words and my heart absorbed what they said, I was speechless!!  I thought of the gut-wrenching portrayal of these events in the movie “The Passion of the Christ.”  The only thing that came to mind was… “Thank you!  Thank you!!  Thank you, Lord!!!”

Here’s what impacted me so powerfully today from Isaiah 53… “Surely He took up our pain and bore our suffering…He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed.  We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all… By His knowledge my Righteous Servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities… because He poured out His life unto death and was numbered with the transgressors.  For He bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors.”

So here I am, sitting with my Bible in my lap, with tears welling up in my eyes and a sob in my heart, with nothing to say to my Heavenly Father, and to Jesus, my Savior, but a heartfelt “Thank you! Thank you!! Thank you!!!”

I read Psalm 14 this morning during my time of “coffee with the Lord” and despaired at the human condition!

“The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.  The Lord looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.  All have turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.  Do all these evildoers know nothing?” (From Psalm 14:1–4)

I read this and recalled that the Bible says, even at our best, “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags!”  (Isaiah 64.6)

Then, I REALLY despaired!!  …Until I recalled the wonderful “Good News” declared in 2 Corinthians 5.21… “God made Him who had no sin (Jesus) to be sin for us so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God!!”  All I can say to that is heartfelt “Thank you” to God!!  And Jesus, I’m so grateful for what you did on our behalf!!  Imagine it… Guilty sinners, the “righteousness of God in Christ”!!  Incredible! …Relieved and rejoicing!!

When we face frustrating situations… When things are not going the way we would like them to… Or frankly, when things just get “same-o, same-o, same-o, and we are bored to death… there are usually two (no three) behaviors we can default to… We can GRUMBLE, we can just GRIND AWAY – or we can do what God would have us do – express GRATITUDE for His blessing, His provision, His protection, His patience, or His power! (Did you notice the three “G’s”? 😉

What brought this to mind, you ask?  Why, my Bible reading this morning!  The Children of Israel, had just been marvelously and miraculously delivered from oppression and slavery in Egypt… they had reached the other side of the Red Sea… Then they sang a wonderful song of praise to God and entered the wilderness… No water!  Bitter water! … and they complained (God gave them miraculous provision)… Then it was the food.  And they complained against Moses and Aaron, their leaders (but ultimately against God)… Again God provided with something called “Manna!” (Exodus 15 – 16)  You think they’re done “grumbling and complaining?” … Read on… It’s all part of their sad, default attitudes and actions!!! 

And sadly, it’s often part of our default response to the circumstances of life!  We either “grumble” or we silently and sullenly “grind away” unhappy with the way things are, our situation in life or what we find simply boring!

But there is a better way… A godly response for God’s people… a way that marks us as distinctive in the broader culture!  Apostle Paul identified it for us (out of his circumstance – imprisonment!) Here’s what he said… “Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life (i.e. distinctive!)” (From Philippians 2:14-16 ESV) and in another place… same circumstances… “Rejoice in the Lord always!  Again I will say, rejoice! … Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus!” (From Philippians 4:4–7 ESV)

I don’t know about you, but with God’s help, and the Holy Spirit’s reminders, I want to choose (and learn to “default to”) GRATITUDE over GRUMBLING (or even just simply GRINDING AWAY)!