“Jesus with coffee” describes a simple way to make time for prayer, silence, spiritual reflection, and conversation with God by imagining Jesus present in a peaceful place, often while enjoying a morning cup of coffee. The practice is not about the coffee itself, but about creating a consistent setting in which you can become quiet, listen, and draw closer to Him.
The place where I began to visualize myself talking to Jesus was in front of my fireplace with a cup of coffee. And that is where my quiet time is spent to this day. Warmth to me fosters communion and closeness and conversation. I sit by my little fireplace with my cup of coffee and picture Him there with me and invite Him to join me in my quiet time and tell me anything He wants me to know.
What “Jesus with coffee” means
As 2013 was drawing to a close, God had begun to shake my spiritual foundations to the core. I suspect so He could put down new ones. I had my one goal in place for the upcoming year and was attending a new Bible study that had revolutionized my relationship with Jesus.
One night a wonderful lady stood up and gave her testimony about her quiet time with the Lord, and her words left me speechless. When she enters into her quiet time, she sits in her favorite place and visualizes she’s there with Jesus, simply having a conversation with Him.
Her place is her front-porch swing, but you can really pick any place that represents peace and calm and openness to you. (You can actually do this wherever you are, even if you are on the other side of the world from your special place. Just close your eyes and picture yourself there! That’s the beauty of meditation.)
Why had I never thought of this before? Why had I just always talked at Him and not to Him?
Quiet time with God
In case the concept of spending quiet time with God is unfamiliar to you (as it was to me for a long time), it’s basically taking time either within your normal prayer time or throughout the day to get silent before God and listen for His voice.
The Bible tells us in John 16:13: But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.
The Holy Spirit wants to talk to us. But He is a gentleman. He will not attempt to compete with the noise around us, or shout to be heard over Netflix, or force us to listen at all, if we are determined not to.
Think about it. If you had a friend who was always talking, talking, talking but never stopped to take a breath and listen to what you had to say, would the friendship last very long? Our relationship with God is much the same way.
It can be either as shallow as we settle for or as deep as we are willing to go. Well, I decided I was tired of the kiddie pool. I wanted to go deeper with Him. I wanted to know Him more. I wanted to know Him all I could.
Why coffee can become part of a spiritual routine
My friend Leigh and I sustain a mutual coffee addiction of obnoxious proportions. We celebrate cold brewing at home. We talk about french presses versus percolators. We send each other pictures of coffee. Pictures. Of coffee.
We firmly believe that coffee counts as a vegetable, because it grows on a plant. (Okay, a tree, but it’s in the vegetative family.) The day we found the article that said coffee was the best pre-workout beverage… we almost sang the Hallelujah Chorus together.
So really, we share two life priorities: Jesus, and coffee. As I was having my devotions with pour-over Chemex-brewed cinnamon-and-orange-peel decorated beverage in hand, it dawned on me: the Creator of coffee actually has a lot in common with this beautiful drink.
And it makes perfect sense, considering how positively divine coffee is.
Morning coffee and meeting with God
God and coffee are always there in the morning
Every morning I am comforted by the presence of God and His willingness to meet with me and teach me about Himself. And nothing makes devotions even more satisfying than to have coffee there too!
I will admit that during periods where I was struggling to maintain a consistent quiet time, coffee motivated me to sit down and make it happen. Mornings are my favorite time of day, but I sometimes struggle to actually get out of bed.
Coffee motivates me to get up and meet with the Lord in the pretty hours of the day. It’s always there - just like God. Well, God is there regardless of whether I go to the grocery store and get coffee; but I very rarely forget.
God and coffee are faithful to their promises
Coffee promises to give you a jolt of caffeine, unless of course you buy decaf. Why would you do that? God promises to sustain us, love us, provide for us, redeem us - and He always comes through.
Sometimes it takes longer than we hope… kind of like those Mondays when we have to drink two or THREE cups of coffee before we really wake up. But in the end, it’s worth it!
God and coffee wake you up
Coffee and a morning work out always wake me up from stumbling around the house. A lot of times, I need to be woken up from the stupor of the night’s sleep. I need my eyes opened to the day and what is ahead. Coffee does that.
God wakes us up out of our sinful stupor and gives us new eyes to look at the world. He helps us see where we are wrong or blind, weak or failing, and gives us the strength to face those challenges and the grace to change.
Maybe coffee is one of His means of helping us grow in grace. I’ve wondered about that sometimes.
Growth through pressure and difficulty
In fact, it is worthy to note that coffee gets its flavor by being roasted under heat, just as we grow in grace under the pressure of trials. Coffee is more flavorful with roasting; we are more gracious with tribulation.
I don’t think this is a coincidence.
God and coffee always love you
Coffee is like having a dog. It never complains, it always smiles, it makes you smile, and it always loves you. Plus, it smells better than a dog. Hence why I have coffee, and not a dog.
Coffee is not only patient, it can help you be patient! It not only is friendly, but it can be a part of friendship! Coffee is a lovely thing.
God also loves us unconditionally. He has a warm heart for His children and smiles upon us when we obey and love Him back. He is patient with us and empowers us to do good.
I believe He gave us coffee as just a little inkling of His love on earth.
God made coffee
They say that man has a small piece of the Divine in him, since he is created in God’s image. I wonder - perhaps coffee does too.
All of the earth has God’s fingerprint upon it, but I think there’s a more distinct print on the coffee bean. It tastes heavenly (unless of course, you’re drinking Folgers. Folgers is red, which is the color of Hell).
Coffee reflects the hand of a good and loving Creator. Every morning when I drink it, I truly think about Him!
It’s the perfect companion to devotions, whether you drink it black or sweetened with sugar (I could write a post about the things God and sugar have in common, but I think it might be redundant).
How to spend coffee time with Jesus
Most days don’t start until I’ve had my fireside chat with Jesus. My prayer time has never been so rich or so sweet. We don’t hurry, Jesus and me. We take our time.
Sometimes I talk first; sometimes I simply wait. It’s becoming easier and easier to close my eyes and see Him sitting there beside me, coffee mug in hand.
Sometimes He speaks to my spirit. Sometimes we sit silently. I tell Him funny things. I tell Him serious things. I ask Him questions.
Sometimes He answers. Sometimes He doesn’t. Sometimes I picture us toasting our coffee mugs together in celebration when something really good happens.
But whatever we do, it’s beautiful. It’s beautiful and uncertain and even a little vulnerable, inviting Jesus to join me in the midst of whatever mess I’ve created this week.
It’s all about patience and childlike faith and a willingness to wait. As are most worthwhile endeavors in life.
Making silence part of prayer
I’m learning God wants to speak to us, and we have to offer Him the beautiful silence to do so. When I quiet my heart and my thoughts and just draw close to Him, I begin to hear His still, small voice in my spirit.
Today I urge you to stop talking and stop asking and stop begging and stop requesting and just get silent in His presence and listen. Who knows? His still, small voice might just blow your mind.
One of the things God spoke to me about recently is that while I pray with audacity, boldness, and tenacity, it’s not nearly often enough with gentleness, peace, and quietude.
I tend to pound Heaven’s doors fervently praying for family, my kids, and friends who are in trouble or in need instead of sitting quietly (in body and in spirit) asking Him to speak.
To my surprise, the Lord very lovingly told me to quit my prayer monologue and give Him a turn! He invited me to listen and to enjoy His company.
How lovely is that?
A practical coffee-with-Jesus routine
The place can be a front-porch swing, a chair by a fireplace, or any other setting that represents peace and calm and openness to you. You can also practice this wherever you are by closing your eyes and picturing yourself in that special place.
- Choose a peaceful place where you can sit without unnecessary distractions.
- Prepare a cup of coffee if it helps you establish a familiar morning rhythm.
- Picture yourself there with Jesus, simply having a conversation with Him.
- Begin by speaking honestly about funny things, serious things, questions, concerns, and whatever is happening in your life.
- Allow time for silence instead of filling every moment with requests.
- Listen patiently and remain open to what God may bring to your spirit.
- Take your time and do not hurry.
Today’s assignment for those of us who realize we’re in the kiddie pool and want to go deeper: Sit quietly with God and listen. Take your time. Don’t hurry.
Today, will you join me in listening? What is God saying to you?
A prayer for quiet time with Jesus
God, thank You for the sweetness of Your presence. Show me how to not just talk at You but to listen to You. Remove any distraction that would keep me from hearing Your still, small voice.
Morning Prayer with Jesus ☀️ Gentle Christian Jazz for Worship & Peace | Matthew, Psalms, Proverbs
I remember the time Mr. M told me he was quitting coffee. He thought it would be ‘good for his health’. I cited every article I had uncovered concerning the health benefits of moderate coffee drinking (Mr. M: “What do you know about moderation?” N0 comment.) to no avail.
Left in the wreckage of flawed logic, I laid down the trump card: “Quitting coffee is like quitting Jesus.” I’m not sure he agrees, but as for me - I’m confident the Marriage Supper of the Lamb will include an espresso bar.