Skip to main content

Spiritual Sundays ~ Got Coffee?


It was early Sunday morning and much of our town wasn’t up yet. We stopped the car suddenly when we saw her. She pushed aside the boxes in the back seat and climbed in and thanked us for rescuing her from the cold. We talked a little bit during the drive. So you’re on your way to town heading for church” she said. “Why do you go to church?”
I paused, realizing that she was dead serious.

I've been thinking about this middle-aged hitchhiker whom we met last week. Her slacks were worn and her big sweater wasn’t adequate enough for the cold morning. I was glad we could give her a lift. Rarely am I ever face to face with someone who has never been to church. Her question caught me off guard.

I thought about this…Why do I go to church? I go to worship God. He saved my life; I need Him and want to sing Him my praises. The Bible teachings are inspirational and measured with a plumb line of accurate biblical truth. I need direction for my life! The love of God flows through the people who congregate there and I feel a sense of closeness to them. I feel love for them, too. I need to be with God-fearing people. This world is crazy.

So how do I communicate this to this woman who has never experienced a church service and, further, never experienced a personal Jesus? I kept it simple saying that the service will revolve around a biblical teaching and it lasts about an hour and a half. Would you like to go with us? Her response tickled me: “Do they have coffee there?” Her greatest need was warmth. She was freezing!

No, she didn’t take us up on our offer to spend the next few hours with us in church; she wanted coffee at the mercantile. Church may be too scary for some, but Jesus is what everyone needs!
And hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners." Mark 2:17

Spiritual Sundays is hosted by Charlotte and Ginger.

Comments

  1. DeniseJanuary 9, 2010 at 10:10 PM

    Thanks for sharing, be blessed.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Nikki (Sarah)January 10, 2010 at 5:25 AM

    wow Saleslady, loved this. Sarah

    ReplyDelete
  3. DebbieJanuary 10, 2010 at 6:37 AM

    Who knows what seed you planted...great story...Blessings, Debbie

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousJanuary 10, 2010 at 7:06 AM

    Even though she did not join you for church, the seed was planted.
    She saw Jesus in you. I would be scared to pick up a hitchhiker but obviously, the Holy Spirit was prompting you to do so. Alleluia. Amen.

    ReplyDelete
  5. SmilingSallyJanuary 10, 2010 at 7:28 AM

    LOL My church has coffee! I've always thought that it was unnecessary, but today I understand. Thank you for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  6. rcubesJanuary 10, 2010 at 12:09 PM

    She might not have gotten the coffee from church but she definitely received some warmth from the love you had shared with her. Just praying that it won't die down and would make her change her mind next time you come across her path...God willing. She will long for God's love instead of coffee next time around. With your brief encounter, God will do the rest...Love and blessings to you.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Musings of A MinisterJanuary 10, 2010 at 12:35 PM

    Good post. Thanks for sharing your experience and your words of wisdom concerning going to church.

    ReplyDelete
  8. nannykimJanuary 10, 2010 at 1:27 PM

    It is a good question to think about--the generation that is in their 20's and 30's have often left off going to church. Somehow we have failed to teach them or something? At times I do think there has been a feminizing of the church and it has failed to provide for the men in an adequate way. ..and yet our main purpose is to worship God with other believers and to encourage each other as the body of Christ. I think it is important that the church is about relationships God-ward and man-word...

    ReplyDelete
  9. ReneeJanuary 10, 2010 at 1:53 PM

    How wonderful you were able to witness ever so gently with this woman...planting seeds and showing the love of Christ in offering her a ride and answers to her questions. Thank you for sharing this...God bless.

    ReplyDelete
  10. CharlotteJanuary 10, 2010 at 3:37 PM

    This experience was a blessing for you and for her. Hopefully she will give it a lot of thought in the future. Who knows, maybe this was God's way of showing his love to her through you. In fact, the more I think about it, the more I think it is true. Thank you for sharing it with us.
    Blessings,
    Charlotte

    ReplyDelete
  11. Ginger~~Enchanting CottageJanuary 10, 2010 at 5:58 PM

    I'm sure that you said something that would bring her to contemplate her citation. I would of been off guard as well.
    God Bless,
    Ginger

    ReplyDelete
  12. christy roseJanuary 10, 2010 at 7:38 PM

    What a great question for everyone that goes to church to ponder. What is the reason? hmmmm

    I wonder if she was an angel. Did you entertain an angel this day? With a question from the Lord? hmmmmm :)

    ReplyDelete
  13. CathyJanuary 10, 2010 at 8:47 PM

    Thanks for sharing that, Dear. Blessings ~

    ReplyDelete
  14. Dayle ~ A Collection of DaysJanuary 11, 2010 at 4:16 PM

    I'm a sinner saved by grace. You planted a seed.

    ReplyDelete
  15. KayJanuary 12, 2010 at 6:44 AM

    Doesn't God present us with some of the most interesting tasks? Thank you for being obedient in so many ways, Mary! I've always said ... as a church/christian, if we find a need and MEET IT, they have seen the face of God. The rest is up to God! Love you!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Peter StoneJanuary 13, 2010 at 3:14 AM

    Hey Mary,
    You planted a seed there, and the Lord can do amazing things with seeds.
    Sounds like you guys are having some winter over there! I just got back from Japan, so from almost freezing winter to scorching summer over night!
    God bless
    Peter

    ReplyDelete
  17. JackieJanuary 14, 2010 at 11:12 AM

    Oh, yes - seeds were planted and He will send someone else to water. Maybe the person at the coffee shop was the next Divinely ordered laborer in her path!

    Thanks for sharing!

    He is Faithful!
    Jackie

    ReplyDelete
  18. prashantJanuary 22, 2010 at 4:48 AM

    great story...Blessings

    Work from home

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Book Review of Biblical Minimalism and Give Away

What does minimizing look like?  To the empty nester it may mean downsizing real estate.  To the co-dependent, it may mean pitching some toxic friendships they tend to collect.  I thought I had a handle on Biblical minimalism, but I wasn’t even close.  Biblical minimalism is much more than cleaning out a drawer and discarding unwanted things into a box to take to the thrift store. In her book, Biblical Minimalism, Cheryl E. Smith defines Biblical minimalism as “a complete, whole person release of anything unlike Jesus, a letting go of everything that hinders us from following Him wholeheartedly and single- mindedly , and a relinquishing of all that brings us under bondage to this earthly, very temporary life.” The author gives us a visual of a whole pie that is divided into eight slices.  Each slice describes our lives with areas to analyze to see if pruning or adjustment is needed.  I won’t name them all, but one example is the “emotional ...
9 comments
Read more

Mama's Lipstick

I always wished I could do things with my mom like shop in the mall, share makeup secrets or go to the movies and watch romantic comedies.  My wish never materialized.     My mama behaved like a tomboy.   She loved baseball and pitched with a strong right arm.   She could care less about the latest fashion or the latest movies featured on the big screen.   She never polished her fingernails.    One day after elementary school, I walked into the house to find my mom all dolled up in front of the bathroom mirror, foundation crème, powder, eyebrow pencil and rouge all over the counter sink.  “Who are you?” I asked, thrilled to see my mama putting on the Ritz.  Makeup in place and blotted, she immediately took it off.  “I don’t like the way it feels,” she exclaimed. She retired in Arizona and protected her dry lips with a light rose lipstick, the color of natural lips, a step above ChapStick.  She wore it a few tim...
55 comments
Read more

Abba's Lap

I noticed a behavior pattern in little Amy, twenty months old, that I want to imitate.  She moves fast engaging in one toddler activity after another spinning like a whirlwind from one room to another.  Yet, she pauses,  intermittently , long enough to get refreshed.   I want to be like this grandchild of mine because she knows where to go and how to get comforted. Amy moves at record speed, putting more miles on a pedometer in one hour than my accumulated weekly workouts at the gym.  She can build a skyscraper so tall, I wonder why those bright pink Lego’s don’t topple to the ground as she continues to stack just one more piece on top. I learned never to leave the room to get another cup of coffee.  Once, when I returned, I found her climbing past the couch with hands and feet reaching for the living room drapes. She has a consistent habit that I admire.  In the midst of her activities, as she moves robustly from one play...
51 comments
Read more