11-9-2020
Dark, quiet, and chilly was my room as I gave up on falling back asleep after the time change. We set our clocks back an hour the night before, and I was looking forward to getting some extra sleep. But my eyes were open and my mind alert...awake...and ready for the day. My body loves being a morning person, so I carefully grabbed a warm fleece jacket and headed downstairs. I could work on my blog, read my Bible, get in some extra prayer time, or listen to a podcast uninterrupted. I went into the kitchen and started the pot of coffee hoping it would be done after I freshened up a little and grabbed the Bible study book I was using.
As I came back to the kitchen, I knew right away that something was off. I hadn’t turned on the lights, so I proceeded with caution. I took a deep breath in...and...it smelled different.
Usually, I brew myself a nice hot cup of Colombian coffee, but this morning it was hazelnut. Hazelnut! Coffee has such a strong and distinct aroma that I love more than the taste of coffee itself. You'd be able to guess that based on the amount of milk and sugar that I add to my morning concoction.
It was this unfamiliar scent in my nose that made me realize I've begun to associate my morning coffee with God because of my new routine. I recently began waking before my children to have a daily devotional which coincides with coffee time.
God in the sound of the machine heating up water to pour through the ground beans. God in the sight of dark liquid in my coffee pot. God in the smell of the medium roast. God in the taste as it passes over my tongue. God in the touch of my warm mug in my hands as I take a sip and allow the coffee to slide down my throat. God using every sense I have to remind me of our mornings together.
My daily spiritual fight begins with my five senses getting prepared by God to fight the good fight. I believe the spiritual battle is strong and I must be prepared. My goal as a Christian homeowner is to make God welcome and to make the demons scared. Therefore, I set up my home with all the senses to defeat the enemy on my grounds.
Sight: Look around my home and see scriptures on the walls, Bibles in almost every room, pictures of family dedications to the Lord, and symbols of Jesus’ crucifixion.
Hearing: Our home is full of Christian music, conversations about God, and prayers said aloud before meals or the school day.
Touch: The temperature inside my house isn't too hot or too cold and there's plenty of soft seats and comfy blankets. It's warm and inviting.
Smell: Take a sniff in my home and you will notice good scents, pure smells. Sometimes there’s fresh air, a real Christmas tree, essential oils, food and spices, a burning fire, or soap from after a shower. It’s clean.
Taste: Our family enjoys fellowship around the table (or in the living room) with meals and snacks, eating different samples of God’s creation. I'm even thinking we should start taking communion at home and not only at church.
The more the devil and demons can't stand the ongoing worship of God in our house, the more battles we can win for the Lord. Staging our home to be pure and blessed keeps us on the right path.
Just as coffee's sound, look, taste, smell, and feeling can be a heaven moment for me, my whole house in every sense can be a heaven moment for all who enter.
Ephesians 6:10-12 “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”
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