2nd Cup of Coffee for 9/7/26: AND GOD SAID...
2nd Cup of Coffee for 9/7/26: AND GOD SAID…
During devotions early last Friday morning, a phrase from the Amplified Bible caught my attention. For years I have read through Proverbs once a quarter, using a different Bible translation for fresh insights and ideas for articles and posts.
You know how a climbing rosebush uses its thorns to casually whisper, “Not so fast…”? Well, a few verses of Proverbs 4 caught my attention sort of like that. After reading through them a few times, I sat quietly out on our back patio, sipping fresh, hot coffee. I watched butterflies and honeybees feasting on two huge Crepe Myrtle bushes, the garden fountain burbling with water, the scent of pinon burning in the chimenea, and soft music dulling street sounds from outside. I thought back on scattered convos I'd had across years past with some of you 2nd Cuppers, probing issues of this life and how challenging living for Jesus in this world is.
I remembered the old newspaper phrase, "of cabbages and kings", and how smooth the Adversary is at lulling you and I into thinking "God understands" relative to our own spiritual drift while maintaining outward virtuous pious robes and reflections for others to see.
I sat listening to the aviary chorus while finishing my cup of java.
Then I picked up my pad and began writing…
Wow… vv. 5-7: “GET skillful & Godly wisdom! Acquire understanding [actively seek spiritual discernment, mature comprehension, & logical interpretation]!
(v. 7) The BEGINNING of wisdom is: GET skillful and godly wisdom. And with all your acquiring, GET understanding…
I put pen and pad down, sipped a little, ah, lukewarm coffee, and mulled that over. Solomon pulled no punches. He was clear: be purposeful. Go after those things! Don't sit around waiting for Wisdom, Spiritual Discernment, mature comprehension, logical interpretation, and godly wisdom. You GO AFTER THEM.
Grabbing pad and pen, I began writing again...
So Solomon wrote in what became chapter 4 about the + and -, the best and worst, the cream and the scum – so I thought, “Lord, with all his wisdom, why didn’t Solomon address those souls who ease into weekly pews and classes, thinking themselves the – THE fulcrum upon which all other “brothers and sisters” balance their beliefs and faith? YOU know, Lord – those thinking their “spiritual counsel” so crucial, when their actual input only tips and further unsettles, confusing other growing believers and keeping them off-balance? They seem to be walking in the Spirit, but something doesn't track. It doesn't fit. Is it just me, Lord?”
AND GOD SAID: “LAODICEA.” I waited, thinking He’d elaborate. Didn’t. So I turned to Revelation 3:14-22: WOW AGAIN. “You are neither cold (invigorating and refreshing) nor hot (healing, therapeutic)…. So because you are lukewarm (spiritually useless)…. I will vomit you out of My mouth (rejecting you with disgust).”
Me: “Oh.”
Suddenly all that "GET" stuff from Proverbs 4 shifted from "Here's something printed in a page for you to consider before you close your Bible for another day" to seeing the Holy Spirit's furrowed brow as He looked straight into my own morning, saying, "Yeah--YOU. All those "GETS" are not mere suggestions."
I started to ask, "But---"
The Holy Spirit: "I'm not talking to them, I'm talking to you. Leave them to Me."
"GET ON WITH IT."
© D. Dean Boone, 9/7/26
