Do You Want Your Usual?
“Good morning. Do you want your usual?” These were the words I recently heard spoken by a local barista to two coffee-shop patrons. Consistent. Thoughtful. Familiar. Welcoming. Comforting. That’s what these words represent. How long does one have to regularly patronize an establishment before they are known by employees to have a “usual?” A month of weekly visits? Weeks of daily visits? Does it depend on consistency of order? Does it depend on consistency of the employee?
Regardless of what is required to establish a “usual,” what’s plain in that little word is that something about that person has become known, and there is something inherently life-giving about being known. But it’s just an entry point. The barista knows a face and an ordering pattern, but it doesn’t mean she knows him. But if I were him, it would feel good – I would feel almost famous – at least in the eyes of the barista. Why? Because we all have an inherent desire to be known – for others to take notice – at least of those things that we like about ourselves, or those things that are relatively benign.
But what about the other “usuals” in life? What about our usual anxieties and worries? What about our usual fears? What about our usual sin patterns? What about our usual desires for significance, comfort, freedom, hope, health? What if someone knew those usuals?
God knows all of our usuals even better than we do. He knows those usuals we try to hide, we try to ignore, we try to stop on our own. And yet, for the believer in Jesus, He has a usual for us as well. See, he fills our cup daily with overflowing love and grace. For the usuals that bring shame and guilt, Romans 5:5 says there is hope, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
For all of our usuals, he pours out His love in a never-ending, always flowing stream of refreshment for our souls. He knows us better than anyone else, and yet, his cup of love never runs dry. The next time we run to our usuals, run instead to the usual offering of the love of Jesus that says, “Good morning. Do you want my usual?” Yes, Lord, please give me your usual!