A good coffee is worth waiting for. Back in the day (and I won’t tell you when because it will give away my age), instant coffee was a big seller. It was quick and versatile; you could keep it in the cupboard for a few months and even pack it in your picnic bag.
As Australians became acquainted with the introduction of percolated coffee and its flavour varieties, we began to acquire a more sophisticated taste.This ultimately shifted to espresso coffee as we know it today, with beans picked from carefully selected coffee vegetations around the world—each with distinct flavours, farm histories and worker standards being taken into consideration. Following this, the beans go through selective processesof roasting; grinding; brewing; extraction; separation; and presentation.
Each of these processes have processes of their own,resulting in a final onslaught of options for the coffee connoisseur, ranging from: espressos; café lattes; macchiatos; affogatos; flat whites; and my husband’s favourite—triple ristretto lattes (there are many more varieties, but I have a word limit).
Australians now boast some of the best coffee in the world and many of us have become, what is termed,coffee-snobs.
Totally worth it!
The years and processes involved in bringing us these finely crafted drinks is well appreciated, so much so that it is difficult to go back to how we once drank coffee, even though at the time it was the best we knew.
Endurance is the key
Sometimes in life we feel like we are going through long drawn out processes, a bit like the journey of the coffee bean. Sometimes we feel picked or chosen, we may go through times ofroasting or being judged by others, some grinding may be involved where we feel trials weighing us down, andbrewingcan sometimes last for years before the extraction of our gifts are identified and brought out. There can be separation involved in following the path our newly discovered gifts are taking us on and of letting go of past careers/locationsif that is required to accommodate for the new. Finally, there is the presentation where our process has come full circle and we have been finely crafted and moulded into what God had originally ordained for us to consistently walk in as revelation follows.
There is no real short-cut. The process is important in extracting the full aromatic flavours that God the Creator has predestined for us. The journey requires endurance, patience, faith and commitment on our part, and words like patience and endurance are not necessarily things we want to put our hand up for.
Knowing who to follow
Just like when the Israelites left Egypt and began their journey to the promised land, we have to know who we are following. For the Israelites, God appeared to them as a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.
He led them, not by the short 11-day route, but on a path that would take them 40years to complete before entering their promised land. There was a lot to be learnt on this journey and God knew that if they took the short route, they would turn back to their oppression at the first sign of trouble.
‘When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near. For God said, “Lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt.” But God led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea.’ (Exodus chapter 13 verses 17-18 ESV)
It was only as they learnt to trust God to be their deliverer, provider, protector and guide, did they gain traction towards the arrival to the promised land. Still, there were many who fell by the wayside, lacking faith and obedience, who never entered into the promise.
For those who received their reward, there was great celebration,and altars were set in place so that the journey would never be forgotten by the generations to come.
A full-bodied bean
It is no short-term trip or journey that we’re on.Relationship with God needs tobe developed, and for those who persevere, persist and endure while also enjoying the provision, protection and love of God—the promised land awaits.
As we are developed into full-bodied beans with a pleasant aroma that wafts beyond ourselves and onto those around us, let us keep our eyes on the One who goes before us and know that he is always present, and nothing goes to waste.
“For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” (Hebrews chapter 6 verses 10-12 ESV)
Rebecca and her husband have four children and live on the Sunshine Coast, Australia. Rebecca writes for various publications including print, online and commercial. She is the author of two books: ‘First to Forty’ and ‘Pizza and Choir’. For more information you can find Rebecca at: http://www.rebeccamoore.life, Facebook: Rebecca Moore - Author, Instagram: rebeccamoore_author
Rebecca Moore's previous articles may be viewed at www.pressserviceinternational.org/rebecca-moore.html