For the smell of it.

I like to make coffee for the smell of it.

It dawned on me this morning. I’m in a hotel room here in Nashville & for no apparent reason I started making coffee. Now we don’t have a coffee maker at home. I’m not a big coffee drinker, per se. I mean, I live mochas & lattés, frappuccino is my favorite. But just straight up black coffee…never been a big fan. This morning though – I realized why I started making coffee. I realized why every time I walk by a coffee shop in the airport, pass by it percolating in the office, come across it at restaurants & the like, it brings such a warm & comforting feeling over me.

You see growing up my father was an avid coffee drinker. I have no idea how many cups of coffee he would down in a day. But if there’s one thing that brings back to mind memories of growing up with my father, it’s the smell of Maxwell House brewing first thing in the morning. Before school, before church, on Saturdays, on holidays, coffee was a given for my dad.

In the same way, there are many things that remind me daily of my heavenly Father. The things that remind you day in & day out of His love are probably different than those things that remind me. Because He knows each of us so well I’m sure He uniquely places things in our daily lives that remind us that we have a Father who’s watching over us with love & pride.

This morning, I write this with a cup of Maxwell House sitting next to me. I’m drinking it, not particularly enjoying it. But enjoying the feeling I get of remembering & knowing my father. What has reminded you of your Father & allowed you to enjoy the feeling of remembering & knowing Him?

no longer walking

"From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him." John 6.66 (niv)

Hungry? Satisfied? Full? Can I get you anything? Want fries with that? What more do you want?

The thing I love about Jesus is He is always meeting people's needs. Many times those that He helps, heals, feeds, etc. don't even become believers in Him. So, it's a comfort to know Jesus is capable, able, ready & active in meeting the needs of people...even more so, meeting your needs.

Big, small. Urgent, insignificant. One thing He's good at, meeting needs.

Still, will that be enough for you?

Jesus feeds 5000, then declares to the crowd that He is the bread of life. The people wanted manna again. Not sure why. When God provided manna the first time around, all they did was complain about it. And besides that, they eventually died. Nothing special about the manna their ancestors ate. Jesus miraculously takes a little boys lunch & feeds more than 5000. Then says "I am the bread of life." And "...he who feeds on this bread will live forever."

In other words...eat, drink, live, breath Me!

And they got it. The people, the crowds, the Pahrisees, teachers of the law, scribes... they got it. Following Jesus means a total, unparalleled, uncompromising, unwaivering commitment to Jesus Christ & His purposes. It's all or nothing.

After hearing this, look at what happened. The NASB says it this way,

"As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore."

They decided they could no longer walk with Jesus. This relationship with Jesus is all about daily walking. Literally, the text reads that "they withdrew back to their own things behind." Wow. Couldn't commit to this walk with Jesus. I think this is what we might call discipleship.

Sometimes we, for a moment, withdraw back to our own things behind. But now, keep on walking with Jesus. Believe & know that He is the Holy One of God. Be Satisfied. Fulfilled. And walk on.

fingerprints...

This week, as many of you know, I'm at Lipscomb taking another grad class. Being here reminds me of a lot of things. Mostly, & for a lot of different reasons, it reminds me of all the people that have had an amazing impact on my life. If you're reading this, chances are you are one of the people whose fingerprints are most clearly seen in my life to this point. And for this, I am so thankful.

It's easy for me to see the fingerprints of God in my life. It's easy because I can identify the people God has used & is using to put them there. They have faces & names & funny stories that go along with them.

From my parents who have & continue to show me what it means to be Christ-like,
to my Kindergarden teacher, Mrs Thompson (you never forget your kindergarten teacher you know!),
to those youth deacons who helped me through Jr. High,
to those older guys that let me hang out with them in Sr. High,
to the mentors & life long friends I met through college,
to the men & women who have influenced my life heavily over the past 6 years in ministry,
to the teens who I have been called to minister to who minister to me so often,
to the few who have let me be a spiritual mentor in their lives,
to my wife...words can't express how I feel about you,
to now, this point in history...it's amazing. His fingerprints are everywhere.

I see people here on campus who have had a huge impact in my story & I see people who have allowed me to have a huge impact on their story & right in the center of it all...the story was never about either of us, but about our great God. And in participating in what He's doing in His story, we get to see His fingerprints in our lives. It's a simple yet overwhelming thought & tonight I just want to stop & praise God for you.

I can't take any credit for who I am (or who "I am not" for you Louie fans) today. But I can praise our great God for the grace He has shown me & the influence He's allowed you to have in my life for His glory. And that's just what I'll do. Praise Him. Today. For you.