Meet me for coffee

 

© 2018 Julie Crane All rights reserved

How easily, how so easily tempting it is to bypass morning prayer time. When I think of all the concerns of the day... such distractions! - to what should be a special time, a peaceful, re-energizing time. But instead I start to stew over confession. Shame. Guilt. Judgment. Reviewing wrongs, and my lengthy prayer list for others and pleading for seemingly impossible "fixings".

Shouldn't it be like having coffee with a friend? My friend and I, we meet at some little out of the way coffee shop. A quiet place away from the hub-bub and noise. We laugh and tell stories, encouraging each other in hope and in love. Getting together - just two friends - sitting in God's sunshine with no set time limit. No rushing. Just lingering ... unhurried... We talk. We sip. We enjoy companionable silence. More talking. More sipping. We don't solve all the world's problems, but we do gain reassurances in the One Who does. We grow closer and more dear to one another. We've relished the time and eagerly make plans to meet again.

Right now I hear a pretty good rain coming down. You know the kind - used in calming recordings. A purring cat curled up by my side. And yes, a fresh mug of coffee! But no one is up yet. It's early. But what a friend I have in Jesus. Who's presence is always near. He Who loves me like a dear friend, even more so! And in this time and place there is no rushing off, but can sit peacefully among the God-sounds. Sip. Think. Share. Relish. Aware of each other's presence - this wonderful Jesus Friend... and me. Listening to the rain. Conscious of the day before us but also being reassured we will navigate it together. THIS coffee time does not need to end but just shift and change and adapt as the day unfolds. (I may just leave my mug on the counter to remind me of that.) Just as I take another sip and smile at the friend across the table at that out of the way coffee shop, so also, I take another 'sip" with my companion Jesus and smile.

May I keep my mind on the Friend Jesus and the freedom from shame, guilt and judgement He has given. Like having coffee and a chat with a dear friend, may I welcome and relish Him. And eagerly make plans to be with Him again and again.

A friend loves at all times... (Proverbs 17:17)

"Come with Me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest." (Mark 6:31)