Would Jesus Like Coffee? … Hello Hump Day readers. Yes, this is a crazy question but since today is International Coffee Day, I just got to thinking if Jesus would have liked our delicious ‘cup-of-joe’? However, after reading a lot of when coffee was first introduced to our world, Jesus didn’t get coffee because it was way after his time here on earth! I truly believe though that he knew about it because he knows everything!

I wonder what the Bible says about coffee? I landed on Donna Snow, a wonderful writer and blogger and guess what–she loves coffee! She said: “There is almost nothing better than spending precious quiet moments with coffee in the morning before the chaos of the day begins. That morning pause for coffee lovers and pondering God’s love is a perfect way to get ready for a long day ahead. It also provides time to reflect on those things we are grateful for. So does the Bible talk about coffee at all?”

We know it likely did not exist during Jesus’ biblical times. At least, there is no official record or documentation about it. So I started looking for Scripture. One caught me from Isaiah but it was more a satire about “drinking the cup” than coffee. But it has substance so here it is: Isaiah 51:17 [NLV] “ Awake! awake! Stand up, O Jerusalem, you who have drunk from the Lord’s hand the cup of His anger. You drank it down, and you had trouble walking.” I don’t know what you think about it, but I thought that perhaps it is simply not God’s will that His people be tired and groggy? OK, that’s a bit of satire but…

We can laugh at this but maybe there is something to it? Well, the enjoyment of coffee invites us to pause—maybe even give your mind some renewal? A good coffee makes me take a deep breath and honestly, it gets me going for my day! For me, there is nothing like a good cup of joe, especially in times where my mind is blank yet, I need to write a devotion; or if I am struggling with something—like my unreliable computer! When we get rains here at the campground, having that warmth of coffee becomes my source of comfort and it truly does warm me up from the cold rain! My hubby who hates coffee will tell you this: if Cyndy doesn’t get her coffee it’s gonna be a bad day for us all.” ♥

In James 1:17 [NLT] we read: “Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens…”  Well, I equate that saying this way: ‘coffee’ is a great gift from God, don’t you think? Here is another Scripture that caught me from Psalm 104: 14-15 from The Passion Translation: “Your compassion brings the earth’s harvest, feeding the hungry. You cause the grass to grow for livestock, along with the fruit, grains, and vegetables to feed mankind. You provide sweet wine to gladden hearts. You give us daily bread to sustain life, giving us glowing health for our bodies.”  Yes, coffee sustains me every day, yeah!

In closing, let me share the origin of coffee as we know it today—though many historians have other thoughts of its origins. If you Google it this origin of coffee comes up “The first recorded wild coffee plants were likely from Kefa, Ethiopia in the 15th century. It has been said that a man called Kaldi who was an Arab goat-herder who discovered coffee!” I wonder if the goats liked it? So, enjoy the cup-of-joe and send a thank-you to Kaldi, the goat-herder. I wonder if he realizes how much joy millions of people every day loved his discovery!

O Lord, you give us such wonderful things including coffee. Thank you for it, but one question I want to know: will coffee be there when I get to Heaven? AMEN!