As anyone can tell you, I am not a morning person.
I have to gradually transition from sleep, in stages; gently trading pieces of sleepiness for pieces of wakefulness. I am like a deep sea diver, slowly ascending from the depths. I will eventually come to the surface. But, oh, I am slow to take hold of the day. So, the thought of coffee and some breakfast is an essential lever to get me from horizontal to vertical.
That may be why this week's passage from John 21 is one of my favorites. Reeling from recent events, restless, frustrated and stressed, the Apostles needed—something. One night, still a bit shell-shocked after the death and resurrection of Jesus, Peter declares, "I'm going fishing." The rest of the guys, at loose ends, exhausted from the "not knowing" of whatever is coming next, decide to go with him. That night's fishing doesn't produce a single fish. But that's not really the point of fishing, is it?
When Jesus arrives early the next morning, he changes everything. He helps them catch a great deal of fish, and then says, "Come, and eat breakfast." Jesus cooked breakfast for his people. He called them to breakfast. They came and they ate.
I love the ordinariness of this episode.
It reminds me of when God fed Elijah in 1Kings 19, strengthening him for the 40-day journey that was still ahead of him and, as a result, for all of his future actions as a prophet of God in this world. God gave him what he needed: a nap and some food. For the Apostles, being front and center for the most important events in history was extremely stressful. They needed to go fishing and eat some breakfast. They needed a great big dose of ordinary, and that’s what Jesus gave them.
Sometimes, what we need the most is a simple thing: a nap, some food, a quiet moment, a pat on the back, a hug. To borrow from Stephen Covey, we need to take time to “sharpen the saw.” And in case that’s not clear: We’re the saw.
God doesn't ask of us what we cannot do. It's just that we often fail to perceive what we are really capable of. If we will but take it, God provisions us so we can carry out what he has planned. God gets us what we need.
Come, and eat breakfast.
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Just for fun (“How To Make Turkish Coffee”):
IMAGE (and a deeper dive into the history of coffee):
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We continue this Easter season Friday morning at DaySpring’s Lectionary Breakfast. Join us at 8:00 for an hour of scripture, food, fellowship and discussion. Laughter is common. We meet on Zoom** and in person at Our Breakfast Place.
Many Blessings!
Steve
**Contact me for the Zoom link
NOTE: Zoom allows you to mute the camera and microphone if you don’t wish to be seen or heard.
SCRIPTURES FOR SUNDAY AND THE COMING WEEK
Acts 9:1-6, (7-20)
Psalm 30
Revelation 5:11-14
2 comments:
Love this!! And the coffee recipe sounds like something fun to work on!
Kim Greenfield
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