“How do I love thee? Let me count the ways…”
I am certain that Elizabeth Browning Barrett, in her Sonnet 43, was not referring to coffee but coffee drinkers everywhere can attest that this might just be applicable.
A hot cup of coffee first thing in the morning is a life altering experience. I am deeply indebted to my Nespresso Coffee Maker that blesses me with one everyday.
And, like all things that are worthwhile, there is a serious commitment required for making a good cup of coffee. The secret to preserving the quality of each cup is as follows; clean the coffee maker. Cleaning a coffee maker every four to six months will make a world of difference to your coffee. And, if you have Nespresso Coffee Maker as I do, it is a very simple process. Conveniently, there is an indicator light on the top of the coffee maker that tells when it needs to be cleaned; descaled. When the pot is clean, the light is green but when the pot needs descaling, the light is a combination of half red /half green.
The process for cleaning the coffee maker is very straight forward. You pour the descaling formula into the water tank then fill the remaining space with fresh water. After pressing a few buttons, the process begins the flushing of the system. It takes twenty minutes to descale and then another ten to flush the coffee maker with clean water. Ideally, the indicator light should be green by the end of the process.
But, from my experience, probably because I can go almost a year in between cleanings, one flushing of the coffee maker doesn’t always do the job, and the indicator light could remain red/green. This can be very frustrating. Usually, a few more times flushing the system with clean water accomplishes the goal…a green light.
One day, while cleaning my coffee maker, I started thinking about how this process applies to faith. As a follower of Jesus, I believe that a commitment to Him is only the beginning of a faith journey. The ways of the world have tainted mankind in such a way that it is necessary for us, just like the coffee maker, to undergo the descaling process in order to transform into the people that we were originally created to be. It means ridding oneself of the old behaviors that are too familiar to us and that can be painful.
Ridding oneself of old behaviors is not easy either. Sometimes, just as we feel we are living victoriously, something challenging enters our lives and we find ourselves responding with old ways. That can feel very frustrating but if we bring our shortcomings back to God, the mighty “Descaler”, for guidance and cleansing, he picks us up and sets us back on the journey that is best. God loves us and desires to strip away that which hinders us from becoming all that he created us to be. We are being transformed.
Life is filled with beauty, joys and great challenges. We are constantly needing to respond to that which is before us. Ultimately, the choice is ours. We could choose to live much of our lives in the red/green zone or choose to be completely transformed.
But why is transformation so important? We are being prepared for what is to come…
Revelation 21:1-5
Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
God, the beauty of what is to come is too much to imagine. Ready us for this moment. Prepare us each day for what is to come. Transform us into the people you have created us to be.
With a grateful heart,
Carol Marchant Gibbs
Stories Changing Lives