6:25 is very early for my brain, so one of the first things that I do after waking two of my three children and getting myself dressed is to make coffee. The smell of coffee brewing awakens my senses, and I love the heart satisfaction of knowing that Brian has a fresh cup of coffee as soon as he comes to the kitchen table to do his notes for work.
Only one light is allowed when I first enter the kitchen in the morning. More than that is absolutely too much for my “not a morning person” self.
Recently, in an early morning, unawakened stupor, I made coffee in my mostly dark kitchen. In my head, I put the filter in, put the coffee grounds in, and filled the water tank, then started the coffeemaker. While the coffee was brewing, I proceeded to help the two older kids pack their lunches and get them ready to leave the house.
At about 7:05, I usually make myself a mug of coffee to take with me on my morning Uber route (i.e. delivering children to school). On this particular day, I put the milk and creamer into my mug, then poured the coffee into the mixture…EXCEPT that it wasn’t the same caramel color that I normally see and know - it was a grayer, white.
WHAT IN THE WORLD?! (My pre-coffee, non-morning self exclamation)
I pulled the pitcher from the coffeemaker to see that the coffee was not coffee at all….it was basically hot water. What should have been a rich, dark color was clear! I opened the top of the coffeemaker to see that I had indeed placed the filter into the coffeemaker, but had not put the coffee grounds into the filter. The most essential ingredient for making coffee: COFFEE.
After settling the fact that I would not have coffee on my morning route, I actually laughed at myself. God immediately spoke to me, using that moment as an illustration: If I don’t place my faith as the main ingredient in my daily filter of life, my life will not have its most essential ingredient! The sovereignty of God, the grace and truth of my Savior, and the Holy Spirit’s guidance give substance to what may seem like the empty moments in my day.
Hebrews 11:1 spells it out,
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
And continues with many verses that begin, “By faith..”, recalling the stories of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Rahab, Gideon, Barak, Samson, David, Samson, and prophets…
“Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions. Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. (vs.33-34)
The substance of their lives gave them strength to withstand, courage to fight, and vision to see the unseen.
I want that to be me. I can’t do it on my own, because I am not capable; however, the God who pursues me is more than capable!
The writer of Hebrews urges us on (12:1-2):
Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith. For the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
With that, my morning coffee pour now has a prayer:”Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
Life with substance.