How A Caramel Macchiato Explains The Trinity

¹⁴ And it shall be said,
“Build up, build up, prepare the way,
remove every obstruction from my people’s way.”
¹⁵ For thus says the One who is high and lifted up,
who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:
“I dwell in the high and holy place,
and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit,

to revive the spirit of the lowly,
and to revive the heart of the contrite.
¹⁶ For I will not contend forever,
nor will I always be angry;
for the spirit would grow faint before me,
and the breath of life that I made.” ~ Isaiah 57:14-16

Nowhere in the Bible will you find the phrase ‘the Trinity’, yet scripture teaches the triune God! Since I can remember, I have heard many different analogies explaining the Trinity, and nothing ever really got the job done…. then this morning, I was sipping on my Caramel Machiatto…….

Starbucks!  Oh, how I love that there is one on my way to work.  I drive an hour and a half to work every morning, and I need my coffee!  just the smell of it draws me to life with a yawping….Aaaaahhhh!!!!!!

then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature. ~ Genesis 2:7

The very breath I breathe seems to come from the mere aroma emanating from a coffee pot. Now, in my natural self I do not particularly long for coffee….. oh, but I need it!

However, for much of my career as a cop, I wouldn’t give coffee the time of day…. I didn’t like the taste, couldn’t understand why people drank the stuff.  Oh it smelled fabulous, but seemed a bitter pill to swallow.  I would love it from afar, and instead drink in sugary, carbonated, pop!  A cheap substitute for the real caffeinated beverage!

²¹ For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. ²² Claiming to be wise, they became fools, ²³ and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. ~ Romans 1:21-23

Then one day a fellow sojourner, of the love of Coffee, shared the secret…add some cream or milk with a little sweetener!

“Well, now, that is better” I literally said to myself.

And I truly became alive in mornings.  Not only did I know about coffee and its wonderful aroma, but I learned that coffee doesn’t have to be just an idea and fragrance from a unapproachable pot, but it’s exquisiteness could be experienced daily, with warmth, passion, love.  I could enjoy the good feeling of a warm mug in my hand.  Tha cafe au lait felt so much better taking up residence in my body, than a burning pop ever did! It brought me to life in a way the carbonated sludge could never do!

¹⁴ and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵ The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. ¹⁶ But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. ~ 1 Timothy 1:14-16

I traveled a long way down the road of life with the presence of coffee!  Each day brought new surprises.  Different flavors proved, that though the effect of coffee never changed, there were new and wonderful experiences to have in our life together!  They were new every morning because my wife found International Delight Coffee Creamers!!!!

Still, I was hearing from many, the wonder of espresso drinks?  How was espresso different from the coffee that had brought me such life!  The coffee I had come to love. I had to know!  Was there more to this relationship?

Enter Starbucks!  Oh my goodness!  Caramel Macchiatos, Mochas, Chai, extra Espresso shots when I need more energy!!!!  I began to understand the nuances and depth of coffee in so many more ways.  I even tried, a plain old cappuccino (with a little sugar).  FROTH!  It’s hard to explain but the Froth has taken my relationship with coffee to a whole new level!

¹³ If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” ~ Luke 11:13

But the Helper, the HolySpirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. ~ John 14:26

Our Father God breathed life into us, but we in our very nature did not seek Him, instead we kept him at a distance. He reached out to us first sending His law, to show how flawed we are, and how much we needed Him.  He then sent His Son because the law hopelessly condemned us.

His son, Jesus Christ came as a person, and wants a personal relationship!  He want’s to walk with us daily.  His mercies are new every morning!  He showed us who God is, and who we are to imitate.  He, being perfect, took our imperfections, put them on His shoulders and climbed a mountain, to hang them with himself on a cross.  He doesn’t leave us on our own in life or even just in relationship with Him,  He sends His Holy Spirit!  To teach us and help us understand Him more fully.

Yeah, a Caramel Macchiato is a horrible analogy for the Trinity, BUT next time you drink one and feel a calm come over you, remember, the most peaceful place is in the embrace of our God!

Thought to ponder on your journey today:  Do you wake up each morning inhaling the goodness of God, filling and energizing yourself with the very Word of God and growing in wisdom through the Spirit?  Come on! Get your spiritual caffeine fix!