Your Morning Coffee 04/14/2026

Good morning!

Welcome to your morning coffee! May our Heavenly Father disabuse us of the notion that we control our own fruitfulness and flourishing. Father, I know we do not. But sometimes I think that by my own efforts, I can sustain and satisfy myself. Lies and self-deception! Father, in the name of Jesus, by the Spirit, sustain us in sun-scorched lands! Remind us that we are your children, well-watered in the Spirit, fruitful and full of life because of you, and not our own efforts. Amen.

Your Morning Song: "Nobody" by Casting Crowns (feat. Matthew West)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=RDMflekg7ieX0&v=Mflekg7ieX0

Your Morning Scripture: Isaiah 58:11

"The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail."

...

My brother Zach and I are not twins, but we're close enough in age that it wasn't your typical older brother (me) and younger (Zach). Our personalities only made it less typical. He didn't wait for me to do something before he would try it. Quite the opposite.

If there was some crazy stunt to try, tree to climb, vine to swing, anything, Zach was already doing it while I was still trying to figure out exactly what it was.

He would charge headlong into even the barest hint of adventure, and I would watch. If he didn't get hurt doing it, I might try it. Maybe.

There's something to be said about not being reckless, an easy way for me to justify my fear at trying the crazy stuff Zach did.

But in life, in the daily living, thinking of our relationship with God, I want to be more like my brother.

Too often and too easily I forget God's promises to sustain me and guide me. And I let fear and worry and a desire to be "in control" keep me from trusting God.

As God's dearly loved children, we must not live life with daily worry masquerading as cautiousness and care. Too many of us don't trust Jesus enough.

When friends and family disappoint us and reject us and hurt us. When work is difficult and unfulfilling. When our goals and hopes and dreams aren't turning out the way we thought they would, the way we thought they should...

Either God has failed us, or we have failed to truly trust in God.

You cannot sustain yourself. You cannot feed yourself. You cannot protect yourself. You cannot do anything, for yourself, apart from God's Will and Way.

Only there, by our Heavenly Father's side, are we strong, are we sustained, are we satisfied, are we full of the sweet joy of true trust. Trust in Jesus, the one who welcomes us into the family, and who cries out to our Father, "because of me, let them stay!"

In a world dying of thirst, may we not be. We have no reason to. And every reason not to.