It's Just a Cup of Coffee

Thank you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Creator-God of all there is.

“…there is but one God, the Father, from Whom are all things and we exist for Him” (1 Corinthians 8:6).

“…by Him [the Father’s “beloved Son,” 1:13] all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities - all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:16,17).

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving” (Genesis 1:1,2).

One God, three Persons: “…which doctrine of the Trinity is the foundation of all our communion with God, and comfortable dependence on Him” (1689 Baptist Confession, 3.2). Maker of time and space. Lord of this morning and my tiny corner of it. It is good because You are good. It is more than I could ever enjoy and appreciate fully, and yet it is only a momentary reflection of Your eternal glory (Romans 1:20).

Yet, in all its goodness, I feel the Fall of my first parents (and all of us) in these moments, sensing the consequences of a body not in its best health because of lack of discipline. The slowness to feel ready for the day because another day has been crossed off the calendar.

What is it they say? The only thing that doesn’t get easier with practice is waking up.

This body, this mind, part of the groaning creation – made so good, and so broken by us – as much as I love these early-morning moments, I am reminded of a hope beyond imagining. A hope of newness. Of morning without fading into lesser color.

Lord, thank you for those who toil against the thorns of the Fall to earn their bread (and provide coffee beans) by the sweat of their brow. Thank you for the grace of their temporary victory, and the reminder that it is temporary...we need more.

“Cursed is the ground because of you;
In toil you will eat of it
All the days of your life.
Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you;
And you will eat the plants of the field;
By the sweat of your face
You will eat bread,
Till you return to the ground,
Because from it you were taken;
For you are dust,
And to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:17-19).

We were made to have dominion through the growing of coffee beans (Genesis 1:26-31), but, because of our rebellion against You, God, You have ordained a futility (Romans 8:20), and twistedness (Ecclesiastes 1:15; 7:13) to creation so that we will never find perfection in it apart from You. Because we try. Give the growers, the cultivators, the same longing You gave a man who named his son Noah because he longed for promised relief from the curse (Genesis 5:28-31). Let them hear the Good News of the true Noah, the true Comforter. Bring them messengers who will tell them the curse has been carried in Christ on His cross (Galatians 3:13,14).

Bless them amidst the uncertainty of weather, plant disease, insects, and who knows what pressures fellow human beings bring in this fallen κόσμος.

Thank you for these echoes of You in the crafting and drawing from the earth. May the echoes become full and perfect soon.

Those who roasted this by their art, O Lord, the aesthetic of applying energy to the beans…thank You for the creativity and ingenuity You work by Your grace through humanity. Such beautiful diversity. It seems endless the ways in which we work this creation to produce wonder, joy, beauty, and a nice dark roast.

There is in the brewing an imbuing of energy, heating water in a momentary rebellion against entropy. We fight the fading because You’ve set eternity in our hearts, along with the futility of our struggle apart from You alone (Ecclesiastes 3:11).

Ah, the mug. They bear names and images of places I’ve been able to travel, places that are important to me because my family was there with me and we enjoyed time together. We marveled at some new (to us) beauty of creation together. This mug connects me in memory to such grace, Father. You have given grace in letting us see so much together. I am grateful, for I love what You have made. I have always tried to appreciate Your creation wherever I am. Help me to rejoice in the goodness of what You have made even more than I do.

Again reminded of the hope of newness…holding the mug against my eyes…the warmth easing the wake-up of more than just the mind.

On to my second cup now. Which one do I appreciate more? The one that I sip operating more on unreflective instinct, or the one that I drink in a state of greater awareness. I don’t know. But I am thankful to You, my Father, for both (and for the third cup which will be part of an increasing busyness of a whole household beginning its day).

Coffee has accompanied my morning reading of the Psalms for so long they are associated in my life liturgy. Today, Psalm 29 (You are worthy of worship, Your voice is mighty, You are unchanging King over all), Psalm 59 (God as stronghold in difficulty), Psalm 89 (song of God’s promised King), Psalm 149 (praising God and making His will be done on earth). Prayer and praise to You, almighty God. It looks like I’ll have opportunity to teach a class on discipleship to some older grade school children in this next semester…they’re learn about regular Psalm reading…maybe not the coffee drinking that goes with it in my life. Help me to assist them in following Jesus, and may I learn more in the teaching.

Being part of creation, I do not worship You, my God, apart from using Your creation. Help me make that usage more holy.

This I offer to You, God my Joy, with these simple, inelegant, and unrefined words…You are infinitely worthy of better, but it is morning. My first thoughts are produced in a brain still awakening, still awaiting the sharpness coming with this cup of coffee. With this I offer the day to You…

“Our Father, Who is in heaven,

Make Your name holy.

Your Kingdom come, Your will be done,

On earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day…” (Matthew 6:9-11).