Refreshed!
Growing up my Mom and Dad worked 3rd shift in the mill. I spent every night but Saturday with my Grandma and Grandpa Owenby, occasionally with my Grandma Johns. I lived with my Grandparents in the summer.
As a child I was given coffee to drink at breakfast. Half a cup of coffee, sugar and real milk to fill the cup. As I got older less milk and sugar and more coffee. It is no wonder that I love coffee like I do.
In the Ukraine the thing I most looked forward to on getting up in the morning was a steaming cup of coffee. It was so good! All that to say I have been out of my coffee beans for a month and have had practically no time to stop and get a cup in the morning. I have missed it. The last two weeks my days have been longer and nights shorter and I have really wanted a cup of coffee. But no, it just has not happened.
Thursday morning after the prison revival I had an early morning meeting with a DSS lady about a lady our Church has been ministering too. My jeep has a clutch problem so I have been riding the Harley when it is not raining. I left the house and it was chilly. As I rode to my meeting I wished I had a cup of good hot coffee to knock the chill off and to enjoy before getting down to business but I was running a little behind and I knew I would not have time to stop and sit and drink a cup. I am not as skilled as some at riding the Harley and drinking a drink at the same time. My desire then was to finish the meeting with time to spare so as to stop in Mt. Holly at the Jordan’s for a good cup of coffee.
When I arrived, one person was already there and had brought the lady we are ministering to a cup of hot coffee and a biscuit. Is that temptation or what?! Several minutes later the DSS lady, a great lady, arrived. She came over with a cup of coffee in her hand saying she too had brought it for the lady. Since she already had one she said “Pastor, have a cup of coffee.” I took it!
Now when I took the first sip I was amazed. It was hot and fixed exactly like I drink it. It was like I had prepared it myself to my taste. I drank that cup as we talked and planned. It was truly good to the last drop. When we finished we gathered in a circle and prayed for God to help us help this sweet lady and to help her in all her needs. I got on my bike and started down the road realizing I had just enough time to make the next meeting. I began to pray. Thanking God for being so good to us. I thanked Him for helping bring this ladies needs to our attention and allowing us to share His love with others. I thanked Him for those in DSS who worked long hours in a too often thankless job and for giving this particular DSS lady a great heart. I then thought of that cup of coffee she had given me. It was like God said I know you wanted a cup and you were ministering in my name so I gave a you a cup through another of my servants. The verses came to me: Mark 9:41 (NIV) I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward.
Proverbs 11:25 (NLT) The generous prosper and are satisfied; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.
I think that goes for a cup of coffee too and my prayer is that the DSS lady who was kind enough to give me a cup of coffee will find herself in the days ahead refreshed. I also hope that, in Christ, I too will continue to let Christ use me to refresh others. Actually my prayer is that we all will be generous, with Christ’s love, the Good News of His salvation and with cups of cold water or coffee. The Kingdom would probably see major expanding. May it be so!
As a child I was given coffee to drink at breakfast. Half a cup of coffee, sugar and real milk to fill the cup. As I got older less milk and sugar and more coffee. It is no wonder that I love coffee like I do.
In the Ukraine the thing I most looked forward to on getting up in the morning was a steaming cup of coffee. It was so good! All that to say I have been out of my coffee beans for a month and have had practically no time to stop and get a cup in the morning. I have missed it. The last two weeks my days have been longer and nights shorter and I have really wanted a cup of coffee. But no, it just has not happened.
Thursday morning after the prison revival I had an early morning meeting with a DSS lady about a lady our Church has been ministering too. My jeep has a clutch problem so I have been riding the Harley when it is not raining. I left the house and it was chilly. As I rode to my meeting I wished I had a cup of good hot coffee to knock the chill off and to enjoy before getting down to business but I was running a little behind and I knew I would not have time to stop and sit and drink a cup. I am not as skilled as some at riding the Harley and drinking a drink at the same time. My desire then was to finish the meeting with time to spare so as to stop in Mt. Holly at the Jordan’s for a good cup of coffee.
When I arrived, one person was already there and had brought the lady we are ministering to a cup of hot coffee and a biscuit. Is that temptation or what?! Several minutes later the DSS lady, a great lady, arrived. She came over with a cup of coffee in her hand saying she too had brought it for the lady. Since she already had one she said “Pastor, have a cup of coffee.” I took it!
Now when I took the first sip I was amazed. It was hot and fixed exactly like I drink it. It was like I had prepared it myself to my taste. I drank that cup as we talked and planned. It was truly good to the last drop. When we finished we gathered in a circle and prayed for God to help us help this sweet lady and to help her in all her needs. I got on my bike and started down the road realizing I had just enough time to make the next meeting. I began to pray. Thanking God for being so good to us. I thanked Him for helping bring this ladies needs to our attention and allowing us to share His love with others. I thanked Him for those in DSS who worked long hours in a too often thankless job and for giving this particular DSS lady a great heart. I then thought of that cup of coffee she had given me. It was like God said I know you wanted a cup and you were ministering in my name so I gave a you a cup through another of my servants. The verses came to me: Mark 9:41 (NIV) I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward.
Proverbs 11:25 (NLT) The generous prosper and are satisfied; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.
I think that goes for a cup of coffee too and my prayer is that the DSS lady who was kind enough to give me a cup of coffee will find herself in the days ahead refreshed. I also hope that, in Christ, I too will continue to let Christ use me to refresh others. Actually my prayer is that we all will be generous, with Christ’s love, the Good News of His salvation and with cups of cold water or coffee. The Kingdom would probably see major expanding. May it be so!
posted by pastor raymond | 8:12 PM
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