Now the Story begins: "Starlock's" , a Time to get real!"
I was way too thirsty for this time of the morning; BUT the bonus... The hands of the clock said "Coffee? Go for it!". There was a new Café in town, and with the strange reviews in the media, I was dying to check it out ... ("Starlock's" who were they kidding with this type of cloning?) ... AND THEY HAD A DRIVE THROUGH SERVICE ... My kind of place!
Approaching the place made me do a double take - WOW ... Retro 60s? The drive through had a large warning sign "Extremely restrictive passage ... What? As my vehicle entered the drive way ... I realized that, they were not kidding! Both right and left tires of my car were being challenged by the narrow space (I thought, hey ...they should have had a car wash hook-up, wow!) Somehow I did manage to make it to the call box ... (what in the world)????
A big green button was staring me right in the face, and right above it was a tattered speaker that was labeled "Push, Hold, Talk and Release"; I really wish I had read that before I started yelling at the box.
"OK" ... "Green button pushed" - "I would like a large high test with 2 creams and 7 seconds of honey please!" I released the button and waited, and waited, and waited, and waited ... Just as I was about to push and yell again, the speaker crackled with some extremely inaudible noises ... that carried an irritating voice of sort, that quickly spoke some non-comprehensive gibberish language that I think was repeating my order, and then it said something that sounded like: "OK - pull up to the window!" So I did.
Driving another precarious distance and almost scrunching up to the window ... I waited for someone to come to take my money and give me my coffee. Something was a little strange, it almost looked as if there was no way for the window to swing nor to slide open ... Hmmmm?? But still I waited; and waited; and waited, and waited ... BUT No attendant. Man this was starting to rub me the wrong way, so I squeezed my car out of that chute-like drive-thru, and parked it in their ridiculously spacious, but empty parking lot. ??? With my car securely locked behind me, I ventured into the doors of this strange but welcoming café. (Weird ... Really ... But weirdly familiar.)
Wow...Upon entering, I still can't describe the comfort of the aroma that caressed my face, and O the aching that the aroma brought to my senses! I just had to get a sip of whatever was brewing, it smelled better than the fondest memories of "Home!" ... AND Bonus, a cup of this would be mine, ... and soon ... I had placed my order! Right! Right??
I Walked up to the counter with enough verve that my gestures were loudly saying, "Hey, I am here ...I AM HERE! ME, MYSELF and I, Where is MY order? ... MY ORDER!"
And just as I was about to verbalized that very sentiment or something of that essence, I found myself futilely staring into a mirror with my reflection staring back at me. Awkward! I saw myself with the most arrogant of facial expressions; and I stopped short of making my verbal announcement.
Stunned as I was; I clearly heard a small ... but deep ... confidently, comfortable voice. It spoke from a small corner table (that I hadn't even noticed in my "puffed up" - "I'm gonna have it my way", royal entrance into the café). And the voice said "It has that wonderful effect on all who stand there!" "Kinda catches us at our best, don't you think?"
Although I hadn't turned yet to see from whom the voice was coming; I felt like the individual talking had access to my deepest thoughts, and almost welcoming them without malice or judgement??
"Too much of a hurry?" ...
"Too many burdens?" ...
"Oh, so many distractions!" ...
"Far too much confusion about what is really important" ...
"Gotta run, can't be late!" ...
"Feeling so purposeless and bearing such secret pain!"
When I turned to see the vessel that was conveying this Voice of Reason: The image that came into view was strangely familiar, though I was quite sure we had never met(at least not like this). ... And as I was sure that I knew that voice ... And my senses were about to rope in a matching description of this familiar stranger to name Him ... Just as He began to speak with me again ...
"What is it that you really want?"
"What is truly important that you must have it right now?"
"What do you really want out this life that you are living?"
I was trying not to let my mouth go with what my smart-Alec mind was thinking ... When He sat up in His chair and spoke as if He was reading my heart ...like it was an open book ... As He spoke with a trust for me that I never had felt before, and said...
"You want to snap back with ...'all I want is coffee, and I ain't got time for this!' ... Don't you? But at the start of every day, you sigh with the feeling that there is so much more!" "Yes, you may have thought that all you needed was a quick coffee-like picker upper, but you know that what you really desired was time with Me."
I was fully captivated ...This intriguingly familiar stranger gestured for me to take a seat near Him; and I was overcome with the feeling: That as a Father longing for the nearness of a son... So, He was beckoning me; and I was compelled to sit with Him.
With love in His eyes, we quietly shared the sound of the clock's ticking that was pounding away at my "gotta git r done" fibrous character, as He reached out His hand for my shoulder, and consoled my innermost being as he said,
"Your coffee is now ready, please take it and run ... I have it covered... I will be waiting here for you ... tomorrow."
"Slow down, don't move so fast ... Just a little earlier, let's make these moments last. Tomorrow; I really want to spend some time with you!"
I climbed back into my car to head into my day; but that moment had changed my life's desires. I was determined to get to "Starlock's" earlier everyday ... For there The Father waited for me. If He was willing to wait, so He could unlock the stars of His love for me, I would long to be there.
"As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with Thy likeness." Psalm 17:15
"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament show His handiwork." Psalm 19:1 (Savor the aroma of the whole Psalm, drink it into your life).
HLFA,
Jeff
When we pray something is happening between Heaven and Earth. (Luke 11).
Prayer; above miracles and miraculous events challenged the Apostles ... They sensed it was the key connection... {to learn to pray was the only thing that the disciples asked for in fervor ...teach us to pray "like you" do}
Prayer is something we can all continue to learn. Matthew 6:9-13 -- And Jesus taught them how he prayed:
Father, our Daddy, You are so different ...
You are Holy; and let Your Kingdom grow in us ...
Here is our needs. As we wait keep us from being pulled away from You
for ...Yours is the Kingdom, the Power and the Glory...for ever Amen.
Prayer is not a performance ... It is an opportunity to be real before God.
Pray must incorporate "Importunity" ... A Shameless persistence to ask, seek and knock ...
When we pray, let us pray with persistence.
Ask...Seek(because His answer is going to be bigger) ...Knock... We are at His Door.
Prayer is not a single transaction...but a continued conversation.
Prayer is an invitation to enter into an intimacy that opens our hearts to knowing Him, our Father. "Spending time with God" is to be treasured about all else.
Every thing you want is behind the Door... Stay with Him in the intimate opening of that Door.
He will unlock the door to the vast expanse of His provision ... As the stars sing out there is "no limit" to His love for us. Dedicated to Pastor Lawrence - CFCOG - Grand Point Church