Coffee With The Lord

Got someone who has “ticked you off” – someone who has treated you unfairly? You’re tempted to try to “get even”… to make ‘em pay? My advice based upon what I read in the Bible this morning? Resist that urge! Pray for them instead!

This morning during “coffee with the Lord” I was so impressed by Job’s obedience… Job’s response to those who had wrongly, unjustly (and viciously) accused him… (And it’s pretty clear as you read the account in the Bible he wasn’t very happy about it!)… Here’s what God said…

“After the Lord had spoken these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, ‘My anger is stirred up against you and your two friends, because you have not spoken about me what is right, as my servant Job has. So now take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer a burnt offering for yourselves. AND MY SERVANT JOB WILL INTERCEDE FOR YOU, AND I WILL RESPECT HIM, so that I do not deal with you according to your folly, because you have not spoken about me what is right, as my servant Job has.’ … And the Lord had respect for Job… So the Lord blessed the second part of Job’s life more than the first… After this Job lived 140 years.. And so Job died, old and full of days.” (from Job 42:7–17 the NET Bible)

Reminds me of what Jesus urged us to do to those who have wronged us… “I say to you, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you… and your reward will be great and you will be sons of the Most High, for He is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.” (from Luke 6:27-36) And the echo from Apostle Paul? “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good!” (from Romans 12:14-21)

God, give me the grace I need to do it! … Supernatural enablement!!

Sometimes commentary is just totally inadequate! The passage I read today during “coffee with the Lord” is like that… I read it and found myself saying, “How great is our God?!” or in the words of the great hymn, “How great Thou art!” Believe me, you really should take the time to read what follows from the Bible…

“Who has measured out the waters in the hollow of his hand, or carefully measured the sky, or carefully weighed the soil of the earth, or weighed the mountains in a balance, or the hills on scales? Who comprehends the mind of the Lord, or gives him instruction as his counselor? From whom does he receive directions? Who teaches him the correct way to do things, or imparts knowledge to him, or instructs him in skillful design? Look, the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are regarded as dust on the scales. He lifts the coastlands as if they were dust… All the nations are insignificant before him; they are regarded as absolutely nothing.

“To whom can you compare God? To what image can you liken him? A craftsman casts an idol; a metalsmith overlays it with gold and forges silver chains for it. To make a contribution one selects wood that will not rot; he then seeks a skilled craftsman to make an idol that will not fall over.

“Do you not know? Do you not hear? Has it not been told to you since the very beginning? Have you not understood from the time the earth’s foundations were made? He is the one who sits on the earth’s horizon; its inhabitants are like grasshoppers before him. He is the one who stretches out the sky like a thin curtain, and spreads it out like a pitched tent. He is the one who reduces rulers to nothing; he makes the earth’s leaders insignificant.

“To whom can you compare me? Whom do I resemble?” says the Holy One. Look up at the sky! Who created all these heavenly lights? He is the one who leads out their ranks; he calls them all by name. Because of his absolute power and awesome strength, not one of them is missing.

“Why do you say… ‘The Lord is not aware of what is happening to me, My God is not concerned with my vindication’? Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is an eternal God, the creator of the whole earth. He does not get tired or weary; there is no limit to his wisdom. He gives strength to those who are tired; to the ones who lack power, he gives renewed energy. Even youths get tired and weary; even strong young men clumsily stumble. But those who wait for the Lord’s help find renewed strength! They will rise up as if they had eagles’ wings, they run without growing weary, they walk without getting tired!” (Isaiah 40:12–31 the NET Bible)

My response? “How great Thou art!”

Today’s “Coffee with the Lord” post started out to be just one thing – a kind of “Valentine’s Day” post – but grew to three things… Three things you can depend on… Three things that are always true…

The first thing that came to mind this morning (this Valentine’s Day morning) was the fact that I can depend on the fact that God loves me. This is how the Bible expresses it in Romans 8…

“Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? … No! Despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love! Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love! No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord!” (from Romans 8:35-39 New Living Translation)

Wow! Praise God I can depend on that! But that’s not all I can depend on… Two additional wonderful things came to mind (that are not necessarily connected to Valentine’s Day)…

I can depend on the fact that no temptation or trial I face is beyond my ability to bear it… God will limit that trial to my ability or provide a perfect way of escape. I’ve got to believe that… It’s true! His word promises it…

“The temptations in your life are no different from what other people experience! God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure!” (from 1 Corinthians 10:13 New Living Translation)

The third thing that came to mind this morning was that I can depend on is God’s ultimately good intentions and purposes for my life (and yours)… even if I’m experiencing the discipline of my Heavenly Father! Three passages really relate to this one… The first one is also from Romans 8 (like the first one was)…

“And we know that God causes EVERYTHING to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” (from Romans 8:28 New Living translation)… Sometimes what works together for good is personal – Sometimes it is collective (it is for the good of all concerned).

But here’s another passage on that score… God promised this to Israel AFTER they experienced the discipline of exile in Babylon… “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope!’” (from Jeremiah 29:11 New Living Translation) And you could tie to that one Hebrews 12:5-11 which in part says, “The Lord disciplines the one he loves and chastens everyone he accepts as His son (or daughter)… He disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in His holiness!”

So what started as one thing this Valentine’s Day – the dependable love of God – grew into three things (but all of them ultimately tied to the wonderful love of God… don’t you think?)