by Victoria Heinecke

All things happen at God’s appointed time.

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“…And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this? Esther 4:14b ESV

The Kona Coffee Living History Farm was a fascinating place to visit on the Big Island of Hawai’i. One can walk among the large coffee trees, laden with thousands of berries, and sit under the shade. There is also a colorful variety of fruits, and vegetables, growing under the trees’ branches.

As we learned how the stewards made coffee, we were given one of these red berries. Yes, coffee is a fruit! Each coffee cherry contains a small stone, and it’s the stones that are roasted to become the coffee beans that are used in brewing. The green cherries are underripe, and the red ones are almost ready for harvest.

One can squeeze the fruit to extract the stone, and the flesh of the berry is edible. It has a delightful citrus-like flavor.

However, it won’t wake you up in the morning. The stones must be roasted, and on this farm it means that they will spend weeks in the hot Hawaiian sun. They will be dried, and then roasted over high heat in order to become the dark roasted beans that produce a fine cup of coffee.

“Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!” Psalm 34:8 ESV

Our faith walk as Christians is sometimes a walk in the garden, where we can enjoy the cool of the shade. There are also times when we feel parched, and scorched, and we wonder what God’s doing in our lives. It’s during those times that he is refining us for a future purpose. Although we may be content to remain as fruit, God often has a different plan for us. Everything we experience is at God’s appointed time. The good times, and the trials, both prepare us for his work in his kingdom.

Thank you, Lord, for tending to our souls, and for preparing us for the days to come. Amen.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church