Coffee With The Lord

It happens almost every time I have checked in for a flight at the airport and am waiting to board the plane.  Time for boarding approaches, first class and priority customers have boarded, group numbers are being called for the remaining passengers to board, most of us are on the plane… but there is that one or two remaining passengers… perhaps they went to the bathroom at the very last minute, took a walk and forgot, decided to go get something from the concessions stands to take on the plane, stopped by the bar for a drink, or something else… They’re calling their name!  Once… twice… You guessed it – they either come out of breath to the entry area at the very last minute or completely miss the plane!

Me?  I’m one of those passengers who likes to arrive earlier than most people consider necessary, check in with plenty of time to spare, and sit near the gate entry waiting for my number to be called.  Yeah, I’m the guy that the minute they begin boarding groups of any kind is standing with his ticket in hand ready to be the first of my group to enter the plane… Just my thing I guess.  Waiting until the very last moment to board would absolutely drive me nuts!

Thought about all of that today as I read these words in the Bible during “coffee with the Lord”…

Jesus told His followers, “Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks.  Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them.  If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants!  But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into.  You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect! … Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time?  Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.  Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions.  But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and put him with the unfaithful.” (from Luke 12:35–48 ESV)

After reading that passage this morning I jotted these words in the margin of my Bible:  “Oh Lord, may I remain vigilant, ready, and be about your business when your return!  One day you will return – we don’t know when – and I want to be ready!  The prophetic “signs of the times” indicate it won’t be long!  It could be anytime You choose!  I intend to be wide awake, doing what you want me to, and ready!”

Unity in purpose, agreement is mission and dedication to a common cause are powerful things! They usually determine the success or failure of any enterprise. They are especially significant in establishing the Kingdom of God and the advancement of the Gospel in our world!

This morning during “coffee with the Lord” I read one of Apostle Paul’s challenges in this regard. It is one of several passages in His letters where he borrows military imagery to make his point. In Philippians 1:27-30 he draws upon a scene that his readers in Philippi would immediately relate to… The Roman military formation that vanquished all its enemies and led to Roman domination of the then known world… the “century” … it consisted of 10 fully armored and armed soldiers across and 10 deep, marching in lock step and cadence, into battle against an enemy. It was the kind of military machine that struck fear into Rome’s enemies and brought incredible victory to the Roman Empire! What a scene it must have created, what an awesome sound and effect multiple units like this must have created! Incredible victories were won with this military strategy, opposing armies fled, and white flags were raised in fear and surrender everywhere!