OUT TO PASTOR: Will we be served coffee in Heaven?

The last several weeks have truly been hectic in every sense of the word. Trying to catch up can be a never-ending job. When I think I’m caught up, I see another thing I need to do.

With so much to do lately, it’s hard to prioritize what should come first. The one thought rattling through my brain is, will anybody know if I don’t do this job?

It doesn’t have to rattle too long before I come to the answer to that inquiry.

If I don’t do a certain job, the one who will know would be the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage. When it comes to activities, she is the queen of priority and completion.

I have discovered that one day a certain activity will have priority; the next day, something else will have priority. Life can be very confusing, especially to someone like me trying to sort out priorities every day.

This week I reached a three-week milestone. I was delighted.

That milestone was, I had accomplished every job that I needed to do. I don’t have to tell you that doesn’t happen very often; in fact, this may be the first time it has ever happened to me.

Reaching this milestone, I was utterly exhausted. I came home and sat in my easy chair, hoping I’ll never have to get up again.

As I got comfortable, the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage asked, “Would you like a cup of coffee?”

I can’t think of any time or place I would say no to that offer.

She got herself a cup of coffee and joined me in the living room to sit back and relax after all of this work.

Nothing calms my mind more than a delicious cup of coffee. My wife makes coffee in the morning and then fills a thermos to make coffee available all day.

As I’m sipping that first sip, I just feel the weight of the world lifting off my shoulders. What would my life be without coffee?

As we were sitting there, she asked a question, “Do you think they will serve us coffee in heaven?”

I was not in the mood for any serious thinking because my brain was somewhat wavering in sobriety. Why did she have to ask me a question at this time? Especially one as serious as this?

However, I couldn’t get this question out of my mind.

No matter what my day is like or how stressed I am, a nice hot cup of coffee takes my focus off of the problems I’m having.

Some people don’t like coffee, and that’s okay with me. They’ll have to have something else to calm them down. Some people want decaffeinated coffee, and that’s okay with me, but that’s not what I’m going to drink.

I want my coffee strong. It doesn’t have to be hot necessarily, but it does have to be strong. It has to be the kind of coffee that could take my attention away from the outside world. And, nobody makes my coffee better than the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage.

Quite often, when I’m out doing things, I try to find a little place where they serve coffee so that I can sit down and relax.

In one little café I visit, I have a strict rule, “Refill my coffee every five minutes.” That takes care of my anxiety.

Back to my wife’s question, “Do you think they will serve us coffee in heaven?”

For one, there is no stress in heaven like we have in our world today. Just when you think our world can’t get any more stressful, surprise! It does.

Just when you think you have seen the worst, surprise! You haven’t.

Without stress in heaven, it would not be necessary to have coffee. However, I would be delighted to sit down somewhere with the apostle Paul and have a cup of coffee together. You learn things over a cup of coffee that you can’t learn anywhere else.

There’s a whole list of people I would like to sit down with and have coffee in heaven.

Imagine if you would, a bunch of us in heaven sitting around the table enjoying a cup of coffee when at the head of the table is none other than Jesus Christ.

Drinking coffee with friends releases a spirit of fellowship like none other.

“That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:3).

I’m not sure about the coffee in heaven, but I do know we will have a stress-free time of fellowship with other believers as well as with Christ himself. I’m looking forward to that.

Dr. James L. Snyder is pastor of the Family of God Fellowship, 1471 Pine Road, Ocala, FL 34472. He lives with his wife in Silver Springs Shores. Call him at 352-216-3025 or e-mail jamessnyder2@att.net. The church web site is www.whatafellowship.com.