Far More Than a Discipline

First thing in the morning, I pour myself a cup of coffee with just enough creamer to stir the tastebuds. Isn’t caffeine rather addictive? you might ask.

So, I’ve heard. But some time ago I received a prophetic word that the Lord loves our coffee times together in the morning. I’ve cherished my cup of joe with Him ever since.

Coffee poured, I settle into my chair—mind you, my same padded chair—and proceed with reading my Bible until something on the page gives me pause. That usually trips my prayer switch and off we go. What better way to start a day?

Watch. Pray. Continue in My Word. [i]  These are foundational disciplines that dedicated believers practice. Throw some fasting into the mix and our spiritual senses sharpen even more. It’s what Jesus instructed His followers to do. It’s what I’ve endeavored to gain ground in over the years, (with much Holy Spirit assistance). I can’t imagine navigating through life any other way. [ii] 

When it comes to seeking the Lord, you and I are no sluggards. I say that because you wouldn’t bother to read my Scripture-laden blogs every month if you were. God saved us and called us with a holy calling. [iii] We take that divine summons seriously. The thought of ending up like wine whose aroma stays the same because it remained settled in its old ways makes us shudder. [iv] So we press on toward the goal to win the prize of the high calling of God in Christ. We pray and faint not. We study to show ourselves approved . . . rightly dividing the Word of God. [v] 

But as vital as watching, praying, and studying God’s Word are to sustaining our spirit man, the process of honing these disciplines could become a distraction. As valuable as living a fasted lifestyle is to sensitize our spirits, motives behind why we fast could grow a little fuzzy. I think that’s why this morning over coffee, the Lord (knowing I needed a little self-check), brought this subject to mind.

Is it my (our if the shoe fits) chief aim to merely learn how to pray those fervent, effective prayers so they avail much? [vi] or am I (we) connecting with a Person when we pray?

Jesus’ disciples, when they heard firsthand His prayers to the Father, probably weren’t thinking, Wow! He sure knows how to pray some fervent prayers! Because they too hungered for an intimate connection with their Father, they couldn’t help but ask Him, “Lord, teach us to pray.” [vii] Nothing like learning from the Best.

This makes me think back to Israel’s wilderness journey, and The Tent of Meeting Moses erected outside the camp so all who wanted to seek the Lord could meet with Him there. From what I read in Exodus 33, it appears that he and his servant Joshua were the only takers. People chose to watch from the doorways of their tents as the cloud of God’s Presence stood in the doorway of Moses’s tent while they talked. Yes, I said, “Moses’s tent.” The Amplified and one other version says Moses used [his own] tent as that designated Tent of Meeting. If we had spent forty days on a mountaintop with God speaking to him (us) face to face as a man speaks to his friend, we too would be ruined for anything less.

Verse 11 adds that Joshua would not depart from that Tent of Meeting when Moses returned to camp. My guess is that he wasn’t tidying up the place. His hungry heart was soaking up the Lord’s Presence that still lingered in the air—not knowing that his hunger for intimacy with God was what prepared him for the monumental assignment he would later inherit as Moses’ predecessor. [viii] 

In these last days, The Most High does not dwell in houses (or cloth tents) made with hands. He wants to dwell with people. [ix] 

Are we also studying the Word of Truth with the purpose of rightly dividing it to show ourselves approved? or hiding His Word in our hearts so that we might not sin against Him? Are we using it to convince lost souls of their need for salvation? [x] Noble motives to keep digging for hidden treasure, all of these!

Do we live a fasted lifestyle to bring our bodies into submission to Christ? to break the chains of wickedness? to untie every yoke? or so we can share our food with the hungry? Perhaps we fast for the health benefits, or because fasting is what serious Christians do. [xi] 

The call for transformation and soul winning does not end until we see Him face to face and are fully glorified.

But by the same token, we do what we do because in our hearts we want more. We want connection. We study Scripture because we hunger to better know (and experience) the Person it speaks of. [xii] We deny our flesh because our hearts ache for deeper intimacy with the Person whose Spirit dwells with us and is in us, and Who promises He will never leave us. [xiii] That Person is Jesus. “We don’t want to talk about Him like He’s not in the room, we want to look right at Him . . ..” We want Him to speak with us face to face like a friend. [xiv] 

Lord, thank you for this “self-check” with You over our morning coffee! I certainly needed it.

• Picture by Patrick Fore on Unsplash

[i] John 8:31; 2 Timothy 2:15

[ii] Romans 8:26

[iii] 2 timothy 1:9

[iv] Jeremiah 48:11

[v] Philippians 3:14; Luke 18:1–8; 2 Timothy 2:15

[vi] James 5:16

[vii] Luke 11:1–4; John 20:17

[viii] Joshua 1

[ix] Acts 7:48; Isaiah 66:1; 1 Corinthians 3:16; Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23; John 1:14; Ephesians 3:17; Revelation 21:3

[x] 2 Timothy 2:15; Psalm 119:11; Romans 10:17; Acts 2:37

[xi] 1 Corinthians 9:24–27; Isaiah 58:6–7

[xii] Ephesians 1: 17–19; Philippians 3:12–14

[xiii] Luke 5:35; John 14:17; Matthew 28:20; John 14:23

[xiv] Song lyrics from “You Won’t Relent” by Misty Edwards