Before I spoke at a luncheon in South Georgia last fall, a Starbucks owner did a short presentation, during which I learned an important tidbit. Light Roasted coffee has more caffeine than its counter part, the Dark Roasted kind.
A short google search validated his assertion, but also led to the explanation that the minimal difference is due to the bean size after roasting. The longer the roast, the larger the bean, which leads to a lesser concentration of caffeine per square foot.
The minor difference results in varying opinions on the subject. Regardless, I now choose a Light Roast but still linger in the coffee aisle. There are just so many brands. So many flavors. So many enticing labels.
Much like the way the church packages and depicts Jesus.
However, no matter how hard we try, none of us have Him all figured out. In fact, I think we miss out on the main message more than we grasp.
Thus, one question has lingered in my soul lately. No matter your denomination, your church affiliation, or whether you've been dunked or sprinkled, How big is your Jesus? Does he pack a caffeinated punch and awaken your soul?
(Yes, I just made the last part up.)
Over the past few months, hard things have pulled me far from my comfort zone. Yet every time I've found the problem too big, I've realized that the struggle forced me to allow my perception of Jesus and the power that raised Him from the dead to stretch with me.
When my students turn the page in their piano books, they often let out a slight moan. Conquering something new, even if it's not that much harder, stirs unease.
The same happens when I encounter a new challenge―and there's an endless array of new issues to face in this world. So when uncertainty overpowers my faith, I'm learning to stretch my perception and see Jesus as bigger.
Bigger than cancer, jail, lies, broken promises, sexual confusion, drugs, death, bombs, chemical weapons, painful feet, and even mitochondrial disease.
The list goes on, especially when you add your stuff to mine.
I started this yesterday and planned to post Monday night. But I couldn't figure out how to close. I've now edited this post more than you know, and rewritten parts to make it clearer. But I still don't know how to wrap it up.
I want to offer suggestions on how to make Jesus bigger than your problems but find it all sounds trite. Yes, reading the Bible helps. Praying. Worshiping. All those things.
They matter.
But when I contemplate His bigness, I feel more like my soul is being stretched in a taffy pull; as if the power of God is enlarging the space in my soul, so Jesus can roam free and big.
Does that sound weird? Probably. I'm still tired after speaking in Hilton Head last week. Four days out, I still haven't recovered from two gigs and the drive. So I'm just going to close and post.
Jesus is bigger. His death and resurrection sealed the deal.
I know we have to press through, cry, and even wail some days.
But He died to be bigger in us than the stuff we face.
So I ask again, How big is your Jesus?
May the soul stretching begin.
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