Coffee

I absolutely love coffee. I'm not sure exactly when I started drinking it but for the past few years I've been hooked. Until recently you could find me at any Starbucks in the area sipping on the strongest brew they can make. That is, until now.
While visiting the web the other week I ran across an article by a guy who loves coffee a lot more than me. This guy owns his own coffee bean roaster and he orders raw beans, roasts them at home, and then grinds them himself for the freshest cup of coffee imaginable. I want to be like that guy.
My older brother read the same article and he was determined to do the same (although he doesn't like coffee nearly as much as I do, I don't think). So, my brother goes out to Target and buys a hot air popcorn popper, orders some raw beans online, and roasts his beans in that popcorn popper. I know that may seem a little unconventional but some of the websites he's checked out recommend that as an option if you don't own one of those high end roasters. He roasted some for me the other day and, after letting them "air out" for 24 hours, I ground them up at home and made a fresh pot of coffee. At that moment I went to coffee heaven.
Now I am the proud owner of a hot air popcorn popper and am anxiously awaiting for my order of raw beans to arrive at my house any day now. I can't wait to roast my own beans and to drink that ultimate fresh cup of coffee.

I don't think that I could ever go back to drinking store-bought coffee off of a shelf because that would be settling for an inferior product. Yet there are countless times when I accept much less from myself when it comes to my relationship with Christ. My faith is too often like cheap store-bought coffee. Oh, it's really coffee but it tastes weak and stale and when I have drink it I crave a cup of the "good stuff." Once we taste and see how good our Lord is, why would we ever want to settle for anything less? If you're like me, when you settle for less of Jesus you find yourself desiring much more of Him than you are experiencing now. As the psalmist penned in 23:5, I long for my cup to run over with more of Him and less of myself. I want to experience the fullness of Christ all day everyday, not just an occasional cup here or there. How about you?