Coffee With The Lord

He was emphatic… “I don’t want to hear it!”  Someone had just delivered some “tough love news” (a judge and jury) – It wasn’t going to end up like he had hoped!  There were consequences to some bad decisions and actions!  His mistakes had driven him to his knees in prayer and repentance!  That was good… But there were consequences!  Unfortunately, someone who claimed to be speaking for God had led him to believe a miracle would occur and there would be a speedy trial, a light sentence, and he would be quickly released.  But it wasn’t going to work out that way!  Fortunately, a godly chaplain and pastor, were on hand to affirm God’s love, God’s ultimate purposes, and God’s faithfulness, in the face of a huge disappointment!

It’s a story very much like one of the most misinterpreted and misapplied verses in the Bible – Jeremiah 29:11 is the verse often misinterpreted and misapplied (ignoring its context)… Jeremiah 29:6-14 helps provide the context…

Here is Jeremiah 29:11 (the verse often taken out of context)!  The prophet Jeremiah’s reassuring message from the Lord:  “I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope!”

Here is the context: “Jeremiah 29:8–14 (ESV)

“Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: ‘Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are among you deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams that they dream, for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you in My name; I did not send them, declares the Lord.’  For thus says the Lord: ‘When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place.  For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.  Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.  You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.  I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.’”

Here’s the truth of the passage, as difficult as it is to accept…

Sometimes we have to accept things that we don’t want to accept!  Sometimes is our own fault we have to accept those things (in this case it was the consequences of persistent rebellion and sin on the part of Judah).  Sometimes what we have to accept runs counter to what everyone else is trying to tell us (and they may be telling us deliverance from the consequences of our actions will come quickly).

But, the fact is, God is in it all and His purposes are good and faithful – God is at work through it all for our good.  What we may be going through right now is not the end of the matter!  It is because of the Lord we have a future and a hope – His plans for our lives include our ultimate welfare!  Praise the Lord!

I’d been outside working in the yard, I finished up what I was doing and stepped through the door into our home.  I walked past Sharon, my wife, and I don’t know what perfume she was wearing, but it was delightful!  I stopped… stepped over near her, breathed deeply, gave her a kiss and said, “Babe, I don’t know what perfume you’re wearing, but you smell SO good!”

Now, I’ve walked past other people… don’t know what they’ve been doing… or failed to do… But it was definitely NOT the same effect!  Know what I mean?

Christians ought to be a pleasing aroma!  They ought to bear the sweet scent of the grace of God and the loving provision of Christ!  Tragedy is, that “Spiritual odor” is not perceived the same by everyone!  This is how Apostle Paul put it…

“God uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume!  Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God.  But his fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing.  To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom.  But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume!” (From 2 Corinthians 2:14-16 New Living Translation)

You see, all of us who are followers of Jesus have a responsibility in this regard!  We represent the Lord!  We share His message – His word – the Gospel!  That’s why Apostle Paul in the very next verses said, “You see, we are not like the many hucksters who preach for personal profit.  We preach the word of God with sincerity and with Christ’s authority, knowing that God is watching us.”  (2 Corinthians 2:17 New Living Translation) 

I don’t think Paul was simply thinking about professional preachers when he wrote those words!  He had in mind every Christian and their responsibility to share God’s word with integrity though their lives and words with others.  I tell you, I want to represent Jesus, the Gospel and the message of Scripture with integrity and grace!  I never want to distort it!  “I want to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume!”

Numbers 6:22-27 was part of my Bible reading during “coffee with the Lord” today.  As I read it I was reminded of the responsibility spiritual leaders have to “bless” those they lead…

“The Lord said to Moses, ‘tell Aaron and his sons to bless the people with this special blessing…  May the Lord bless you and protect you!  May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you!  May the Lord show you His favor and give you His peace!'”

Then the Bible says God spoke and said, “Whenever Aaron and his sons bless the people of Israel in My Name, I MYSELF WILL BLESS THEM!!”

That’s a wonderful blessing!  You may have heard a pastor in church utter this blessing over the congregation at the close of a service as a “benediction.”  But this morning during my time of “coffee with the Lord” it occurred to me that Aaron in the Old Testament, and a pastor in a church service are only agents for the Lord… Ultimately I want God to be the one who lays His mighty, loving hands upon my head and speaks these words and activates the blessing over my life!  Isn’t that what you want?  His blessing, not a man’s, is what makes all the difference in the world!

You know what?  I want to fulfill that responsibility as a spiritual leader!!  I want to be known for going around “blessing people” … God, when I bless ’em will you please bless ’em too?!!  I know you will!!