I have recently discovered something wonderful, right here in my own town. As a coffee aficionado, I am always looking for ways to improve my morning cup, and this might be the biggest improvement in flavor and overall enjoyment that I have yet experienced.
Not far from where I work there is a coffee shop that imports and roasts their own beans. I’ve known of the existence of the shop for some time but until I actually went and experienced a bag of coffee made from fresh roasted beans I had no idea what I had been missing. You see, coffee begins to lose its flavor very quickly once it has been ground and the farther away it gets from the date that it was first roasted. For the best coffee, buy whole beans and grind them yourself. For truly exceptional coffee, buy whole beans that were roasted very recently and are at maximum freshness.
The difference in making coffee with a bag that has been sitting on store shelves for a month or two versus a bag that was roasted mere days before is a large one. The key for me was finding a local source of quality roasted beans. The freshness of a bag that is less than a week old takes the flavor to an entirely new and higher level than ever before.
At this point, I have to ask myself a question. Is my spiritual condition more important than a great cup of coffee? Absolutely and unequivocally it is. So why do I have days where I go about my life with a stale and out of date connection to the Holy Spirit? Why would I try to interact with others and be the person that God wants me to be by using yesterday’s provision?
I admit, this happens to me all too often. And I believe that I am not alone in this. We allow ourselves to get distracted and we shorten (or eliminate altogether) our time communing with God through His Holy Spirit. As born again children of God, this has a disastrous effect on our connection to the heart and mind of the Father and erodes our witness to those around us. Quite simply, we can’t be what God desires us to be when we aren’t making the time to stay close to Him in prayer and meditation.
Lately, I’ve been feeling spiritually weak and somewhat dry. Staleness has threatened to creep in. The last few days I have made it a conscious effort to just be still with God and to keep my heart and mind open to what He wants to say to me. As I have spent this time and as I have prayed and read His Word he has renewed my soul and strengthened my inner man. Going to the Source has vastly improved the freshness of my spirit and just as with a great cup of coffee, freshness makes all the difference! Trying to accomplish today’s work with yesterday’s renewal just does not work.
On a basic level it may be silly to compare a good cup of coffee with our relationship to God. What’s important is that we take seriously our connection to the Holy Spirit and we give Him the opportunity to work on us by making the time to be quiet and still before Him. Only He can restore our soul and keep us fresh, new and exciting Children of God. Take care not to lose your “flavor” and to keep your light burning bright for all the world to see.
13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.
14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden;15 nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5:13-16) NASB