VOTD: Percolating Coffee

Written: January 28, 2005

"28Do you see what we've got? An unshakable kingdom! And do you see how thankful we must be? Not only thankful, but brimming with worship, deeply reverent before God. For God is not an indifferent bystander. 29He's actively cleaning house, torching all that needs to burn, and he won't quit until it's all cleansed. God himself is Fire!" Hebrews 12:28-30 [The Message]

You’re probably beginning to see how music inspires and affect my votds, well, I’ve been listening to Toby Mac’s new CD, Welcome to Diverse City, as though it’s the only CD I own. The second track, "Catchafire (Whoopsi-Daisy)" really describes my current season of growth. We’ve all heard the analogy of Christ being compared to a consuming fire. Though, I like how this verse states that He’s not only that, but He’s also purifying us to be more like Him as well, and won’t quit until we’re cleansed; which leads me to the percolating coffee analogy.

You see, as I was leaving for work yesterday morning, I heard the coffee percolating in the kitchen and thought to myself what an interesting votd it might make but as much as I tried, I couldn’t make it work. Today, as I was listening to this song on the way to work, it was like He quietly whispered, "OK, now’s the time."

I looked up the definition of percolating: "a method of extraction or purification by means of filtration". This is my interpretation of this definition in a practical application: If our life is a Mr. Coffee machine, we’re the coffee beans and God’s the filter, then the "purifying" or percolation process can begin. Ultimately, God wants us to be more like Him, but first we have to go through trials and testing of our faith before any changes in our character can be attained.

First, God must ground the beans (us) up. This usually takes the form of a "storm". During this time, God begins to basically break us as a horse trainer would a wild horse. Though, unlike the horse, we unfortunately have to be broken over and over.

Second, when we get to a pliable/broken state (the ground beans), it’s been my experience that He then places us in a situation where we have to completely and solely depend on Him; which of course, brings us closer to Him.

Third, once we’re broken and depending on Him, then the real percolating begins. As we’re being filtered from what the world wants us to be and into something that looks more like Christ -- the finished result coffee.

Finally, you know how great roasted coffee beans smell, well think about how great made coffee smells (go to the break room or kitchen if you need to). Now remember that while we’re attracted to that smell, I think once we fall so in love with Christ, we too give off His sweet fragrance, so that others "smell" Him radiating from us.

I don’t know if you get my analogy, but it makes sense in my head. I hope He gives you divine understanding, so that you may grasp the concept of percolation. It’s really quite interesting, and for me, resolves some of the "why are you doing this to me, God?"