We're going through Romans at church. This week we heard about Abraham's example to us of UNWAVERING faith (Romans 4). Really looking at Abraham's life and the trust he put in God of the promise to be made a father to many nations, we see several times where he WAVERED (Genesis 12-25). But as his faith fully matured, he was ready to believe, obey, and ultimately honor God whatever the cost. This is our example of unwavering faith. What I took away from this sermon, is the fact that we as Christians go through cycles of times where everything is stripped away, in order for us to look directly to God. Those good blessings that he gives us are hidden for a time, so that we may look to his face and his heart, and not at what his hands can give us. This becomes the maturing of our faith. Even though during those times, we ourselves insist that our faith is failing and decreasing.
If Abraham is considered by the greatest scriptural scholar of all time (Paul) to be our example of unwavering faith, that must mean that the maturing of our faith is a process, and that when I find my faith lacking, I must look to the heart of God and know that he is doing a good work.
I'm in a time of abundant "daylight" blessing right now. And I can see the good work that God was doing in me during the dark night. It is my challenge now, to remember and meditate on God's promises. His heart and his face.
Be encouraged if you're in a time where the promises of God seem impossible, that our certainty in the will of God is less important to him than our trust in him. That our "sight" is not a part of our faith right now. That the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is the foundation of this faith. And that like Abraham's life, our lives exist for the glory and honor of God for generations to come, not just for ourselves.
So here's 1 Peter 3:1-8
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. In his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade - kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire - may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Exerpt from a Letter to a Fellow Barista
Work's going good. I LOVE IT. I think I like it way better than anyone else who's there. But nevertheless, I love it. I love being a barista. I don't know why, but I think it's the best day job anyone could ever have.
I mean, you start everyone's day off. You have the potential to start their day off really good. You get to make cool things with milk and fruit and coffee, and laugh at people for paying WAY too much for it. And you get to listen to rad music all day and dance to it if you want, all in the name of enthusiasm. You get to rush around like a chicken with its head cut off. It's so fun.
And have you ever realized how COOL people think it is to be a Barista. I mean, it's glorified food service, but deep down, people really respect you! They look up to you. They say things like "man, I could never remember the names of all those drinks". And you laugh inside because you know that they're doctors and lawyers and stock brokers and they really COULD remember the names of all those drinks if they didn't have anything better to do than get a job at Starbucks. But, when they take that long-awaited gulp of their daily drug, in their eyes, you see a dependence, a deep gratitude for the person who ever so skillfully heats their milk and sloshes a little coffee in it. Throw a grid of carmel on top, and you're an "angel" or a "sweetheart" or "THE BEST". People marvel at the delicacy. But have you ever really tasted a latte and thought "that's good"? Blah. Disgusting.
But friend, if the world wants their latte, the world will HAVE their latte. If the world wants to pay 5 dollars a day for it, to keep me and you alive, then let them! And let them make up silly little nicknames for their favorite coffee friends. "I drink a decaf grande 3/4 Soy, 1/4 skim 2 pump sugar free toasted tonail no foam your mom's extra hot and skinny latte. But only Evie can make mine right". Yes, people can be silly sometimes, but I love the customers. They are the essence of the job. The people you serve are always the ones you fall in love with. And I LOVE SERVING COFFEE. At Starbucks, At the Bistro in Kansas, ... wherever it is.
I LOVE it. People around the globe take pride and joy in their jobs. Coffee Jobs are the same. People LOVE to make coffee.
I mean, you start everyone's day off. You have the potential to start their day off really good. You get to make cool things with milk and fruit and coffee, and laugh at people for paying WAY too much for it. And you get to listen to rad music all day and dance to it if you want, all in the name of enthusiasm. You get to rush around like a chicken with its head cut off. It's so fun.
And have you ever realized how COOL people think it is to be a Barista. I mean, it's glorified food service, but deep down, people really respect you! They look up to you. They say things like "man, I could never remember the names of all those drinks". And you laugh inside because you know that they're doctors and lawyers and stock brokers and they really COULD remember the names of all those drinks if they didn't have anything better to do than get a job at Starbucks. But, when they take that long-awaited gulp of their daily drug, in their eyes, you see a dependence, a deep gratitude for the person who ever so skillfully heats their milk and sloshes a little coffee in it. Throw a grid of carmel on top, and you're an "angel" or a "sweetheart" or "THE BEST". People marvel at the delicacy. But have you ever really tasted a latte and thought "that's good"? Blah. Disgusting.
But friend, if the world wants their latte, the world will HAVE their latte. If the world wants to pay 5 dollars a day for it, to keep me and you alive, then let them! And let them make up silly little nicknames for their favorite coffee friends. "I drink a decaf grande 3/4 Soy, 1/4 skim 2 pump sugar free toasted tonail no foam your mom's extra hot and skinny latte. But only Evie can make mine right". Yes, people can be silly sometimes, but I love the customers. They are the essence of the job. The people you serve are always the ones you fall in love with. And I LOVE SERVING COFFEE. At Starbucks, At the Bistro in Kansas, ... wherever it is.
I LOVE it. People around the globe take pride and joy in their jobs. Coffee Jobs are the same. People LOVE to make coffee.
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