Mocha Moment

Mocha Moment

“Mary…sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching” Luke 10:39.

Just a stone’s throw from a busy street but positioned perfectly at the edge of the woods lies a little cabin, home to Mocha Moment, a coffee shop like no other I’ve ever seen. Outdoor seating on the wraparound deck conveniently faces the woods, while indoor seating includes sofas near the fireplace and chairs surrounding a roaster in the middle of the room. Homemade chocolate chip scones and cinnamon-swirl coffee cakes fill the display cases, and a full coffeehouse menu graces the order boards above the counter.

Having a Mocha Moment, complete with Chocolate Chip Scone!

Who wouldn’t want to spend a Mocha Moment (or two…) in this woodland-respite coffee shop? I recall many a moment there, seated across from my husband, cup in hand, as we met for mini-dates just to get away. I treasured the early-morning moments with two friends who met regularly with me for talk time and prayer. Then there were the special moments spent with a group of girlfriends on the deck, soaking in the sunshine, sipping our beverages, and solving one another’s problems. I miss those moments; they were far too few. They meant even more than the mocha that filled my cup, though that was wonderful too!

Can you picture a place where you might go, alone or with others, for a moment of respite, a brief get-away? (Maybe you’ll have a mocha in that moment so you can give it the same name!) Too often, we let life’s frenzied pace keep us from taking these precious moments to relate and refuel. And while we may meet with a friend or loved one, what we need even more are regular moments with Jesus. How can we find a time and place to sit at His feet and listen to His teaching, just as Mary did when Jesus came to her home (see Luke 10:38-42)? I think we’re more often like her sister, Martha, whose task list distracted her from sitting beside her sister and before her Lord. We justify, “I’ll be with You in a moment, Jesus. I’m much too busy now.” But that moment doesn’t come. Ouch!

In His mercy, our Savior invites us to bring our distractions to His feet. We confess the many moments we’ve chosen to put other things first, and there at His feet, we receive His words of forgiveness, of salvation won for us at the cross.

Pick a place, alone or with a sister in Christ, and He will meet you there, providing respite like no other. Your getaway moments with Jesus will provide the most meaningful “talk time” as you listen to His teaching and reply in prayer. He relates to you and refuels you in ways that no one else can. (By the way, no matter which beverage you choose to sip on the side, go ahead and call it a Mocha Moment – with your Savior.)

Dear Jesus, I need a moment (or more) with You today. Lead me to a place where I listen and learn from You, sitting at Your feet. In Your name. Amen.

Chocolate Chip Scones

-Inspired by the Mocha Moment Coffee Shop-

1 cup flour

3 T. sugar

1 ½ tsp. baking powder

Dash salt

2 T. cold butter

1 egg

3 T. heavy cream

½ cup miniature chocolate chips

Coarse sugar for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a separate bowl, mix egg and cream; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in chocolate chips. Turn onto a floured surface; knead gently, then pat into a circle. Cut dough into wedges and sprinkle coarse sugar on top. Bake on an ungreased baking sheet for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve beside your favorite coffee beverage and enjoy a Mocha Moment (or two).

From Sip, Savor, and Drink Deeply Devotions by Deb Burma © 2017 CPH. 

Reprinted with permission

Distracted by All the Preparations

“Jesus and his disciples...came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to Him.  She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what He said.  But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made.  She came to [Jesus] and asked, 'Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself?  Tell her to help me!' 'Martha, Martha,' the Lord answered, 'you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed.  Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.'" Luke 10:38-42

Tis the Season of Preparation... And we relate with Martha, don’t we? (I know I do.) She was busy making preparations. (Would you like to hear my list of Holiday Preparations? I'm guessing you have one that is somewhat similar.) She wanted only the best for her guests. And so do we! We want to make this coming Christmas, the celebration of The Birth of Christ, the best-one-ever for our loved ones. So, in these weeks of preparation - like Martha - we hurry about, allowing our hearts to become distracted by all the busyness.

I tell myself that my intentions are only the best. I attend the Advent services, the Christmas programs, the recitals. I decorate my home with reminders of the Savior's birth, cleaning and preparing for my guests. Even the gifts I give and the sentiment in the cards I send, share with each recipient the message that Jesus is the Reason for the Season. Yes, I definitely want Christ at the center of my preparations...there is just so much to do! And I let all these good things distract me! I get so busy and stressed by it all, that I find myself grumbling, as Martha did: “Lord, don’t You care that I have all these preparations to make for Your Birthday?!  Won’t anyone help me?  Why do others seem to have peace and calm as they prepare for You to come, while I am busy doing all the work?”  I become worried and upset - distracted, as Martha was, by all the preparations to be made.

Jesus did not scold Martha for what she was doing. After all, her preparations, too, were for the Lord. Instead, Jesus gently reminded her what was better. Jesus tenderly redirects us as He did Martha. The world around us is shouting, “Prepare!  Prepare to buy presents & shop-till-you-drop!  Prepare the cards, the candies, and the creche; prepare for the parties and the programs!  And you MUSN’T forget ANYTHING!” 

Meanwhile, the Lord whispers, “Prepare!” And we cry, “But, Lord, I HAVE been making all these preparations!”  “I know, my child... but have you forgotten to prepare your heart for me this Holy Season? You are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Place me first in your days, and all else will fall into place.” (Hmmm…do you think, perhaps, if I put Him first, that some of those all-important, must-do preparations won’t seem so urgent anymore?) 

The Christ Child will come…whether the guests who come to my house see it cleaned and decorated or not. The Babe in the manger will arrive, whether my Christmas cards arrive on time or not. The Greatest Gift of all will be delivered to me and to my family on Christmas eve, whether the presents are delivered or not. Will I miss it? Will I miss savoring the celebration of His birth for all of my well-intentioned preparations that have become my distractions?

We long, like Mary, to sit quietly at our Savior’s feet, hanging on to His every word. Mary’s heart was not distracted that day, but fully devoted to Christ. We are told Advent is the season of preparation. What is TRUE Advent Preparation? It is a time to prepare our hearts for the coming Christ! We hear the call of John The Baptist to repent:  “Prepare the way for the Lord; make straight paths for Him!” (Matthew 3:3) 

As we prepare our hearts for the coming of the the long-awaited Messiah - Immanuel (God with us) - the Babe in the manger, we are also preparing for His triumphant return when He takes all believers HOME to be with Him in glory in the final resurrection!

How can we prepare? Much the way we would prepare our homes for an important guest. We would spare no effort to get everything in order for the occasion! For this most-important Guest, we reach into the furthest corners and bring out every bit of the dirt and filth - our sins. We cannot clean them on our own; by the Holy Spirit's leading, we lay them before our most-important Guest. We repent of our sins to the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ Himself, whose death and resurrection saved us from these sins; who lovingly chose us as His very own. He washes us clean. He then gently leads us to sit at His feet, to do the "one thing needed" during this busy season: spend time in His Word and in prayer. And as we do, He takes all of our worries, cares, and distractions, and replaces them with trust, peace, and devotion. 

I pray for each of you, during this Holy Season of Preparation, that your hearts would not be distracted, but devoted to our Lord and Savior. By His strength at work in you, may you keep Christ at the center of your heart and the center of your activities as you prepare for Christmas. Place Him first; sit at His feet.