Pouring Coffee

I have never had coffee.
I have no desire to even taste it.
Many people think that is very odd.
However, I love my cup of tea.

The fact that I have never had coffee does not keep me from making it for others.
My husband loves coffee.
Every night I make the coffee for him so that it is ready when he gets up.
The aroma of coffee, that everyone raves about, is lost on me.

My youngest daughter, who worked as a barista in college, made a suggestion.
I think you would like a signature coffee, Mom, maybe a latte or an espresso.
Her husband can attest to her coffee making ability.
They have an espresso machine and he admits to being spoiled by her coffee.

My daughter knows me well, but on this issue, I don’t think she is correct.
I have gone all these years without any desire to try coffee.
I don’t think I’m about to start now.
She seems so sure.

I can make coffee for my husband on autopilot.
I fill the water reservoir, get a coffee filter, and grab the coffee from the pantry.
I measure out the amount for the strength that he likes.
It is usually the last thing I do before going to bed.

Some mornings, I am out walking before my husband is even downstairs.
The other morning, he was downstairs first.
He was talking to me in the kitchen as pushed the button to start the coffee.
He finished his conversation, grabbed his mug, and poured from the carafe.

What? he said looking confused.
I looked over at him as he stared at his coffee mug.
In it, was only steaming hot water.
Oh, my goodness, I guess I forgot to add the coffee! I exclaimed.

I remember answering a text as I was making the coffee.
I usually finish the task in front of me before I start something else.
That night I didn’t take my own advice.
I got distracted and then just went to bed.

It is quite frustrating to expect something and get something else.
I ate what I thought were carrots as a little girl, only to find they were sweet potatoes.
Your mouth is watering for one thing and something else is in its place.
My husband was looking forward to coffee and only hot water poured out.

He wanted to make more coffee; however, I stepped in to recover my omission.
It was funny.
How would you like your hot water?
Cream? Sugar?

The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it. On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’” The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching. When evening came, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city. In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!” “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.  Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” (Mark 11:12-25)

Jesus was hungry.
He approached a fig tree, expecting to find figs.
All He found were leaves on the tree.
May no one ever eat fruit from you again.

We may think that Jesus’ words and reaction were a bit harsh.
First, we have to remember that Jesus never sinned, so this was the perfect response.
The fig tree represented the nation of Israel.
Jesus was saying that like the barren fig tree, Israel was spiritually barren.

The leaves and the figs typically appear on the tree at about the same time.
When a fig tree is covered with leaves but has no fruit, it is barren.
The Jews had religiosity, the appearance of religion, but had no spiritual fruit.
Their lives may have looked full and lush, but they were spiritually dead.

Jesus knows the difference.
May He find figs when He looks at us.
May we be alive in Him, with much fruit.
May there be no facade of religiosity, rather abundant life in Him.