I am not a coffee lover. I never acquired a taste for the bitter brew—despite the fact that my husband’s blood contains more caffeine than red cells. But with the emergence of the coffee shop culture a number of years back, I began experimenting with various java concoctions until I discovered the perfect combination for my persnickety (and, yes, wimpy) palette: grande, single-shot, decaf, coconut milk latte with stevia flavoring. To be honest, the coffee-to-milk ratio in this drink is significantly small—more milk than Joe by far. But it’s warm, sweet creaminess suits me just fine. I occasionally switch it up with some honey and cinnamon (you coffee experts call this a cafe Miel) or I may even go out on a limb with a shot of lavender. This is how I do coffee now. Best part? It’s not the coffee beans or the warm cup in my hand, or the snobbishly-long order I give to the barista. The best part is being able to “grab coffee” with a friend.
When two people sit down together over a cup of coffee, a disarming hospitality happens. It’s a warmhearted invitation to invest time connecting with another human being in a way that doesn’t happen as naturally without a steamy latte or espresso or whatever over-priced mixture you’re drinking. With that cup in front of me I am saying to you that I value our time together, I am ready to listen and I am anxious to share.
I would like nothing more than to somehow transform these black letters you are reading into a mocha frappuccino or a pumpkin spice latte or whatever your favorite coffee shop selection might be and place it in your hand so that I could spend the time it takes to sip our coffees getting to know what’s on your heart.
I would ask you how you’ve been lately and how things are with your family. I would ask what you’ve been working on and what you’re excited about these days. I would ask what it’s like to be you right now. And, if you allow me, I’d ask what you’ve been struggling with because we both know life is hard and there are plenty of struggles in it. I would ask these things because I genuinely care about you and I know that we all need someone to share our experiences with—someone to confide in— someone to remind us who God says we are and to encourage us to look to Him for wisdom.
I wish we could be face to face with the sounds of coffee grinding and the smell of the brew in the air. Unfortunately, I'm not able to transport us to a coffee shop setting together. But I do have the ability to point you to Jesus and remind you that whatever you’re going through today—no matter the size or the weight of it all—God is with you in this. He sees you. He understands everything you’re experiencing and He will not leave you to deal with this alone. He has given His Word on it.
“God, you’re such a safe and powerful place to find refuge! You’re a proven help in time of trouble— more than enough and always available whenever I need you.” - Psalm 46:1
Coffee may be the gateway to good conversation, but God’s love is at the heart of it all. What matters in life is keeping our eyes on Him through the good times and the challenging. He is all we truly need.
Lord,
I pray right now for this dearly-loved one. I ask that you touch their life today as only you can. Take every circumstance they are dealing with and use it for their benefit, just as you have promised. Give them strength and security as they stand firmly in their faith. Give Your wisdom for their next step and rekindle a flame of hope to burn brightly in their heart. Finally, Lord, I ask that you draw near to them—closer than a friend—with your wrap-around presence and bless them with your loving embrace.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.