Coffee With The Lord

Here’s a scene that came to mind as I read from Proverbs 1:8-19 this morning during my time of “coffee with the Lord”…

An old, experienced soldier, veteran to many battles, and a new, inexperienced recruit are in enemy territory!  They are traveling through rough terrain and a dense forest engaged in guerilla warfare!  It has been a long challenging day – they are tired and hungry.  Tension is high and there is a palpable sense of dread.  Suddenly an opening… the heavy brush clears and there appears to be an abandoned campsite with provisions left behind… The young recruit appears ready to step out into the open… just then he hears an urgent whisper in his ear… “Son, I think it’s a trap!”

Here’s what the Bible says that prompted that picture in my mind…

“My child, listen when your father corrects you… If sinners entice you, turn your back on them!  They may say, ‘Come and join us. Let’s hide and kill someone! Just for fun, let’s ambush the innocent!  Let’s swallow them alive, like the grave; let’s swallow them whole, like those who go down to the pit of death.  Think of the great things we’ll get! We’ll fill our houses with all the stuff we take.  Come, throw in your lot with us; we’ll all share the loot.’  MY CHILD, DON’T GO ALONG WITH THEM! STAY FAR AWAY FROM THEIR PATHS.  They rush to commit evil deeds. They hurry to commit murder.  IF A BIRD SEES A TRAP BEING SET, IT KNOWS TO STAY AWAY.  But these people set an ambush for themselves; they are trying to get themselves killed!” (From Proverbs 1:8–19 New Living Translation)

Loving parents want the best for their children and godly spiritual leaders care about those they serve!  When they warn, “Don’t believe it!  Don’t do it!  Don’t go there! …It’s a trap!” their counsel is driven by love, concern and experience!  I’m so grateful for the urgent whispers I heard warning me, “SON, I THINK IT’S A TRAP!”

There’s an old saying… “Unless you can __________________  you can’t even get to 1^st base!”

Think about that saying for a minute and what it communicates… think about the imagery behind it! 

What I see is a young, inexperienced child, who has never played the game of baseball.  He’s at his first day of “Pee-wee baseball” and the coach is trying to help him understand what he needs to do in order to play the game.  He doesn’t know how to hold the bat, he doesn’t know the rules of the game, he has no idea how fast the ball will come toward him when it is pitched… and when it comes, he swings wildly, ducking out of the way, and misses the ball completely!  The coach comes over and helpfully tries to give him some instruction, but he won’t receive it!  The tragedy is, he thinks he knows what to do, but he really doesn’t have a clue!  The coach tries to show him how to stand, how to hold the bat, what the object of the game is all about; but he won’t listen… Finally in desperation, the coach says, “Son, if you won’t listen to me and do what I tell you do, YOU WON’T EVEN GET TO 1^st BASE!”

Now, consider what the Bible says… “THE FEAR [OR REVERENCE] OF THE LORD IS THE BEGINNING OF KNOWLEDGE [OR WISDOM]!  FOOLS DESPISE WISDOM AND INSTRUCTION!” (Proverbs 1:7) 

It all begins right there in the “game of life!”  If a person doesn’t do that, “they can’t even get to 1^st base!”  And yet all around us, we see individuals who tragically reject that basic beginning to successful and productive living!  They refuse to acknowledge God, to honor God, or reverence God.  They strike out on their own – they try to do it their way – they refuse to accept Divine instruction.  They are like the inexperienced child in “Pee-wee baseball” who refuses to listen to the coach!  Proverbs 1:7 says, IT IS “FOOLS WHO DESPISE WISDOM AND INSTRUCTION!”

I don’t want to be like that!!!  I want to listen to God… I want to honor Him… I want to reverence and trust Him!  Hey, a successful, fruitful life all begins (and continues with) that!  WITHOUT “THE FEAR OF THE LORD,” I CAN’T EVEN GET TO 1^st BASE!

Getting it right or getting it wrong… Purpose clues matter!

Yup, over the years in my “signature class” I’ve taught at SAGU – Bible Study – I’ve emphasized to my students you’ve got to honor the clues you find in a passage of Scripture that indicate the Biblical writer’s inspired purpose – “purpose clues” if you please…  The writer’s inspired purpose or clues that point to God’s purpose in a passage.  If you don’t, your interpretation and application of a passage can be VERY wrong!

Now not all “purpose clues” are obvious (they can be subtle)… But some are glaringly obvious – pretty hard to miss them!  The passage I read this morning during “coffee with the Lord” – Psalm 150 – The last of the “Hallel Psalms” is of the very obvious sort… Pretty hard to miss!

“Praise the Lord!

    Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens!

    Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness!

    Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp!

    Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe!

    Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals!

    Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!

Praise the Lord!” (Psalm 150 ESV)

When you read and reflect on it’s message, just ask yourself, What should be the result of reading and  responding to what this Psalm teaches?  What did the inspired psalmist envision as the result of what he wrote?

• Was he primarily trying to identify where God could be worshipped?
• Was his main purpose the delineate why we ought to worship God?
• How about identifying the appropriate musical instruments that can be used in a worship setting?  Was that his main purpose?
• Or perhaps was his main agenda to suggest forms and expressions of worship?

All of those things can be found in one form or another in the Psalm (check it out!)  But clearly none of those things were his main purpose!  And any attempt to make them the main purpose actually ends up distorting the Psalmist’s purpose.

His main purpose is clearly communicated in verse 1 and 6:  “PRAISE THE LORD! … LET EVERYTHING THAT BREATHES PRAISE THE LORD!” …And the implied message? “YOU” – or as we say it in Texas, “Ya’all – praise the Lord!”

A well-known sports outfitter has a slogan that fits here that is in keeping with the writer’s clear purpose… “JUST DO IT!”  …And I’m going to… wherever I can, for whatever I can, however I can, whenever I can, with whatever I can!