Coffee Date

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By Ann Schuette, 21, Indiana USA

Coffee. No matter where in the world I travel, whichever continent I am on, everyone seems to drink coffee, especially first thing in the morning. I’ve heard it being referred to as a morning “pick-me-up.” It is also something that many people, especially students, rely on at night. When that big test is at 8 a.m., coffee becomes your best study buddy to help you squeeze in another late hour of studying. But coffee is not restricted to the morning or evening. Oh, no. Walk by a Starbucks in the middle of the day and you will still see a line— people hoping that their headache will go away or that their yawns won’t interrupt their afternoon meeting.

Having a bad day? Not able to wake up? Grab a mocha with an extra shot or two of espresso and suddenly the sun begins to shine and you can hear the hallelujah chorus chime. Moral of the story: Many people depend on coffee.

However, guess what? God is more dependable then an Americano with six shots of espresso! Allow me to explain. When you are tired, depressed, excited, craving, or in need of comfort, God can fulfill you more than any type of drink.

Whether it is coffee, friends, grades or reputation, something is always seducing us to depend on it rather than God. 1 Peter 5:8 describes the devil as a “roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” Whatever he can use to eat you up and steal you away from God, he will.

You may be wondering why we need to depend on God. Throughout the Scriptures, God’s character shines through His actions and by His names. In Bible times, a person’s name told you a fact or character trait about the person. God has many names such as Jehovah-Jireh, meaning the LORD will provide (Gen. 22:14), Shepherd, implying He will safely lead us (Ps. 23) and King, portraying His ultimate power (Zech. 9:9). He comforts us (2 Cor. 1:3-4), He is faithful to us (1 Cor. 10:13), and He promises never to leave us (Heb. 13:5). For these reasons and many more, God proves to be the only one who is fully dependable.

In John 15:5 Jesus tells His disciples, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing” (ESV).

What a great privilege we have to be able to connect with the God we depend on! In the Old Testament, God’s people were viewed as His servants. However, now that Jesus came, died, and rose again, He gives us the ability to call Him our friend (John 15:15). This allows our relationship with Him to be intimate. Think of someone you love to talk with. Maybe you tell them everything and maybe you only tell them some things. Well, God wants to know everything! He already does, but He wants to hear it from you. He desires a relationship so you can know Him better. This way we can live a life of complete joy (John 15:11).

Spending intentional time with someone is vital for the relationship to grow and it is no different with God. The more time you spend with Him, the more you will come to know Him, love Him, and trust Him.

I want to challenge you to spend time with the LORD daily, so you can get to know Him better. Knowing Him will bring you fullness of joy and will help you to be better equipped for whatever the devil throws at you. If you love your cup of coffee in the morning, continue to enjoy it! But make it a coffee date between you and the One you can truly depend on.