Just a really delicious “sip” from God’s word this morning… “I say to the Lord, ‘You are my Lord! I have no good apart from You! … You make known to me the path of life. In Your presence there is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore!!” (From Psalm 16)
The Bible is the centerpiece of my time with the Lord every day… As many of you are aware… I call it “Coffee with the Lord.” It’s a time I open with a season of worship… Then I take my Bible and pray this prayer… “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things out of Your Law (i.e. God’s Word” – Psalm 119.18) What follows is a time of Bible reading, reflection, conversation with the Lord, and journaling.
One of the passages I read today contains a wonderful invitation and promise for those who are truly hungry for what ultimately satisfies. An invitation to leave the “spiritual junk food” that we sometimes fill our bellies with and instead eat and drink the spiritually delicious and nutritious feast spread out on God’s table.
The passage I read today urged me to listen closely to God’s voice – to seek Him with all my heart. And the assured result? Life! The promise of experiencing God’s incredible love fulfilled in my life!
God’s plans for us are so much higher than ours – they’re in a totally different dimension – higher and better than anything we can even imagine. And the good news? If we’ll cooperate with what God is trying to do in our lives He’ll surely fulfill His purpose and promise – just as surely as the spring rains water the earth and seeds that are sown there spring up and produce a harvest.
And the outcome of living this way… Joy, celebration, rejoicing… an incredible satisfying party “here on earth, just as it is in heaven!”
Just let me say, you REALLY should read Isaiah 55 (the passage I read) for yourself today! But just in case you haven’t I’ve posted most of it for you below…
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“Come, everyone who thirsts! Come to the waters! And he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price! Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food!
“Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love…
“Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
“For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.”
Good, eh?!
“MANNA” … Imagine it… the same stuff (or a variation on how it was prepared) for 40 years! That’s how long Israel were provided “manna” on their journey after escaping Egypt (Exodus 16) until they entered “the Promised Land (Joshua 5:12)!” It was God’s gracious provision (“heavenly health food”)!
Along with water that God provided along their journey, “manna” was God’s divine provision for their physical needs. But it also pointed to the fact that their whole lives were to be sustained by the Lord and governed by His word! Jesus picked up on that picture and fed over five thousand (plus women and children) on five loaves and two fish and declared “I am the bread that came down from heaven!” (John 6:41, 48-51)
But you’ve had kids – and you understand that it doesn’t take long before the “same thing every day” (“same-o – same-o – same-o”) get’s old after awhile. Variety in reading, teaching, hearing God’s word can be helpful (blessed are the “Spiritual meal preparers” who understand that!).
But regardless, God’s word provides everything needed for “spiritual nutrition!”… Job understood it in the Old Testament (even before there was a written “Word of God”)… He said, “I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food!” (Job 23:12)… Apostle Paul understood it to; he declared, “ALL SCRIPTURE [even Chronicles and Leviticus], is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for teaching, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness, so that the man (or woman) of God might be fully equipped for every good work!” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
I used to urge my students in a course that I taught at SAGU – Bible Study – to write these words in every Bible they had: “This book is my all-sufficient guide for faith (i.e. my relationship with God) and daily living!” In other words, the Bible is “Manna” – everything needed! … Spiritual breakfast, lunch, dinner (and snacks)!
Coffee With The Lord 