I could not help but laugh when I saw it up at church yesterday.
(well actually, it was more of a snort...)
What!!!
No hot chocolate!!!
No cappuccino!!!
Are you kidding me!!!!
This was absolutely a great decision... Let's get rid of something that gives the church a warm and hospitable feeling in the cold month of January. Let's get rid of this machine that is easily accessible to anyone coming in off the streets looking for a bit of sweetness and rest. Let's offer a mint instead. Great idea!
It was too old.
It was not used enough.
It needed too much maintenance.
It cost too much.
I have seen entire youth groups gather around that machine like it was their job. I have benefitted from the sugar high that machine puts out when burning the midnight oil up at church. I have persuaded my 5-year-old to attend church because of that machine. Hot chocolate and a donut! Breakfast of champions!
Who doesn't like the hot chocolate/cappuccino machine! Don't all churches have one??? I would guess it's required equipment!
But then... but then I thought...YIKES!
I AM TOO OLD.
I AM NOT USED ENOUGH.
I NEED TOO MUCH MAINTENANCE.
I AM TOO EXPENSIVE.
And praise God... He didn't get rid... of me.
I mean.. really...
I've gotten older... and older... but God uses older people all the time. Look at Abraham and Sarah having a baby WAY too late in life. Look at how old the people in Genesis got! Into their 900's! Noah built the boat when he was 600 years old. Certainly I'm not too old to be useful to the Kingdom. Thank Goodness!
I told my daughter that even if I'm really old and really bed ridden and can't really talk, I will still be really praying for her. I'll actually have more time then and less distractions. I promised her... I. WILL. BE. USEFUL.
It's true I need a lot of maintenance. I need forgiveness... and blessings... and love... and healing... and the Holy Spirit... I need constant communication with the Father... I need that branch connection to the Vine each and every day.... I need His encouragement... I NEED. But the Father loves to give His children whatever they need. Right?
And yes, I was/am/will always be very expensive. Jesus gave His life for me - that was the ultimate given by His Father. God the Father gave His only Son for me. Jesus died my death to forgive my sin. Oh my... what a cost. Jesus paid it all...
So I praise God and thank Him each day. He thinks I am the 'apple of His eye.' (Ps. 17:8)
And you are, too, dear Reader. He delights in you. You are the best. You are loved. You will not be thrown out like an old, useless, expensive, high-maintance hot chocolate/cappuccino machine.
You are never too old...
You are being used by the Kingdom for big Kingdom stuff...
You are being well maintained... Our Father in heaven loves to give us everything we need.
You have already been purchased at a very high cost.
You are a delight. His joy. Valuable. Prized.
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