Coffee With The Lord

Thanksgiving is approaching… And I’m thankful for a wonderful godly wife, Sharon Martha Barnett Bartel! (We’ve been married 52+ years!) Last anniversary [May 12] I signed up for 52 more!!!)

Yesterday, this was a part of my Bible reading during “coffee with the Lord” (my devotional time) – Proverbs 31:10-31!!! And I just couldn’t pass up giving this tribute to a wonderful wife (and I know there are a lot of husbands who feel just as I do – at least there should be!).

Here’s my tribute to my wife drawn from that passage… (I could have posted the whole passage – its true of her in every way!)

“Who can find a virtuous and capable wife? She is more precious than rubies. Her husband can trust her, and she will greatly enrich his life! She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life… She is energetic and strong, a hard worker… She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future. When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness. She carefully watches everything in her household and nothing suffers from laziness. Her children stand and bless her. Her husband praises her: He declares, ‘There are many virtuous and capable women in the world, but you surpass them all!!!’” (From Proverbs 31:10–31 NLT)

Yesterday, after reading Proverbs 31, I jotted this in the margin of my Bible… “Sharon, you are the treasure that God brought into my life!” I showed her what I had written, squeezed her hand, kissed her and left her side choked up with deep emotion and gratitude to God for the rich blessing she is to me… My wife, God’s treasure! Just thankful! Very thankful!!

Moms are wonderful gifts from God! Their children should be incredibly grateful for them! We owe our very life to them! They nurture us, feed us, instruct us, protect us, defend us, comfort us, put up with us… and they WARN us! I think every young person who called someone “Mom” knows what it is like to go out on Saturday evening and as they approach the door hear the speech – the warnings: “Be careful! Watch out! Don’t! Be sure to…! ETC.

And the answer? Yeah… I know… OK… Sure… Sure… ETC!

Hey, we should have taken them more seriously! We should have listened closely and heeded their warning! It probably would have saved us a lot of trouble, difficulty, and pain!

This morning in my Bible reading, a fellow by the name of Lemuel had a mom like that. Here’s how the passage opens, “The sayings of King Lemuel [he had become a leader!] which his mother taught him [she apparently was a good, loving, caring mom]…”

Then Lemuel tells us about two warnings and an admonition his mom gave him…. A warning about loose women, alcohol, and an admonition to defend the oppressed and seek justice for them. Here it is in the very words of Scripture and the advice she gave King Lemuel is still valid for any leader (I’ll let it speak for itself)!

“The sayings of King Lemuel which his mother taught him.

“O my son, O son of my womb, O son of my vows, do not waste your strength on women, on those who ruin kings.

“It is not for kings, O Lemuel, to guzzle wine. Rulers should not crave alcohol. For if they drink, they may forget the law and not give justice to the oppressed. Alcohol is for the dying, and wine for those in bitter distress. Let them drink to forget their poverty and remember their troubles no more.

“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice. (From Proverbs 31:1–9 NLT)

I had a mom with advice like that – Vera Constance Shirley Bartel! A godly mom – a caring mom – a loving mom – filled with wonderful warnings and advice. I still remember some of the warning and admonitions she gave me as I was walking out of the door on Saturday evening… Those words are still ringing in my ears… And Mom, I just want you to know, I’m trying to heed them!!! Thank you!!!

I drove by an elegant old house the other day that must have been grand and beautiful in its day, but sadly suffered the consequences of neglect! Lawn overgrown, shrubs in a sorry state, windows broken, shutters hanging crooked, porch sagging, paint peeling, and who knows what the inside was like! … The pathetic consequences of neglect.

Reminded me of the story told by the prophet Haggai that I read during my time of “coffee with the Lord” yesterday and today…

The once grand and beautiful temple a pile of ugly rubble because of systemic and sustained sin! Seventy years of exile had come upon God’s people as the consequences of their sin. But God in His mercy and faithfulness had brought His people back home. The command was to rebuild… But the sad reality was self-occupation and neglect…

God challenged His people through His prophet, Haggai… “Why are you living in luxurious houses while my house lies in ruins? … Look at what is happening to you! You have planted much but harvest little. You eat but are not satisfied. You drink but are still thirsty. You put on clothes but cannot keep warm. Your wages disappear as though you were putting them in pockets filled with holes… Now go up into the hills, bring down timber, and rebuild my house! Then I will take pleasure in it and be honored!”

And here was God’s promise…

“Get to work, for I am with you! My Spirit remains among you…so do not be afraid! … In just a little while I will again shake the heavens and the earth, the oceans and the dry land. I will shake all the nations, and the treasures of all the nations will be brought to this Temple. I will fill this place with glory, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. The future glory of this Temple will be greater than its past glory, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. And in this place, I will bring peace. I, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, have spoken!”

And they obeyed! They moved from self-centered neglect to obedient diligence and this was God’s promise: “Think about this 18th day of December, the day when the foundation of the Lord’s Temple was laid! Think carefully! I am giving you a promise now… from this day onward I will bless you!” (From Haggai 1-2)

I jotted it in the margin of my Bible today… “This is what happens when God’s people move from self-centered neglect of the things of God to diligent obedience in serving Him!” … Blessing! Abundant blessing!!!