Coffee With The Lord

Thought this morning during “coffee with the Lord” about all my good intentions, passionate declarations, and impulsive commitments over the years… followed by failure!  Wanted to just weep and hang my head in shame!

What prompted those thoughts?  Reading the story of Peter’s impulsive declaration, when Jesus told his apostolic band right after the institution of the first Lord’s Supper in Matthew 26, “You will all fall away because of me this night!  For it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’”

That prediction really bothered Peter!  Impulsively he declared, “Though they all fall away because of You, I will never fall away!”

Jesus knew better… He knew human frailty… He knew Peter!  He told Peter, “Truly, I tell you this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times!”

Now Peter was really bothered – he became even more determined (and impulsive) … He thought he knew himself better than His Lord.  He strengthened his declaration… “Ever if I must die with you I will not deny you!”  And then group pressure took over, “And all the disciples said the same thing.” (From Matthew 26:26-35 ESV)

Read the end of the chapter… Peter’s sad and bitter failure… as predicted, three different times!  Enough to make a grown man cry… in fact Scripture says, “And immediately the rooster crowed.  And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus  ‘Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.’  And he went out and wept bitterly.” (Matthew 26:69-75)

Then I thought of my strong declarations and impulsive commitments when and where I miserably dropped the ball and failed the Lord… And I jotted this in the margin of my Bible, “Without God’s forgiveness, mercy and grace we’re all sunk!”

However, praise the Lord for 1 John 1:8-9!  “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us!  But if we confess [acknowledge] our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness!”  And to that I sigh deeply, offer thanksgiving, and worship – Praise the Lord!  I’m depending on it, aren’t you?  It worked for Peter!

You’ve seen ‘em… People that fret and fuss over everything!  Adept at hand-wringing and whining!  They can find a conspiracy or spot a developing injustice before it’s even imagined!  There’s a crisis in every cloud, an emergency in every experience.  They whine, accuse, cry out and gasp their way through every day.  “It’s not fair!  There’s favoritism! I’m more deserving! They always get by with it! I’m more righteous than they are and look at them… I suffer and they’re blessed!”- these are some of their favorite phrases.  Fuss! Fuss! Fuss! Fret! Fret! Fret!

Here’s what David, prompted by the Holy Spirit, had to say to those who were tempted to slip into that ugly pattern of life…

“Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers!  For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb.  Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.  Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.  Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.  He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.  Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!  Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.  For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.  In just a little while, the wicked will be no more; though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there.  But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace.” (Psalm 37:1–11 ESV)

Next time I’m tempted to fret and fuss, I’m going to try to remember what I think is the “Cliff Notes Version” of David’s advice… Fret not over the evildoer – Instead focus on the faithfulness and goodness of God!

My wife, Sharon, came home the other day complaining that she had spent a lot of time trying to find just the right card for a dear friend.  “They didn’t have anything!” she exclaimed!  “I had to look and look, and what I chose I’m not entirely happy with!”  I think we’ve all had that frustrating experience at some time or other.

Can you imagine finding just the right card to send to the Lord?  What a challenge!  But what if you found these wonderful words on a card that you could send to the Lord…  (I found them in Psalm 36 this morning during my time of “coffee with the Lord”…

^“Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.  Your righteousness is like the mountains of God; your judgments are like the great deep; man and beast you save, O Lord.  How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.  They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights.  For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light.  Oh, continue your steadfast love to those who know you, and your righteousness to the upright of heart!”  (Psalm 36:5–10 ESV)

Good, eh?!  Better yet why not make those words the words you send to Him directly in praise and thanksgiving this morning?  I did!  (And I think I saw Him smile and mouth the words “I love you!” in return!)