Thursday, July 7
This is the title of a little devotional book I was reading last night. It was written by Emilie Barnes. She describes our need to be filled by the Lord everyday. The following is a portion of what I read:
" I find myself holding up a cup that is not quite empty, a heart not quite that humble and hungry. Sometimes my cup holds the old, cold residues of rancid ideas or moldy attitudes or leftover values and stubborn pain. I still need the Lord to fill my cup, but first I need to have it emptied and rinsed clean. That requires both my willingness and the Lord's grace."
I related to this passage. When life never slows down it is hard to empty myself of rancid residue. During the precious moments I do have "quiet time" my mind is a mess. It is hard to focus on anything. I think this is where I go wrong. I am viewing it, more often than not, as something on my to-do list.
The Lord just wants me to be still. Still is not one of my speeds. I don't have a neutral gear. I have several other gears like "because I have to" gear, "get it done" gear," just get outta my way" gear and "superhuman" gear. STILL is not available on this model.
STILL is a speed that is forgotten in this fast pace society. I find it frustrating that even though I know better, I get sucked into being busy. I have experienced the Lord filling my cup. I know He is willing and able. Why then is it so hard for me to STOP and let him.
I think it's a control thing for me. If I am handling things, why do i need to stop. I learned that lesson this week. I need to stop because if I don't I find myself pitifully empty. This is not what the Lord wants for me. Can you image God just waiting to fill me with his Holy Spirit power while watching me crash and burn because I have a control freakish tendency to have to do everything by myself???
I intend to make time for the Lord to fill my cup. I also intend to not be so stubborn in the future.
Here is a little more from the book.
Whatever your circumstances, you, too, can holdup your cup and it be filled. If your cup is polished and dry, hold it out for the Lords plentiful pouring. If your cup is full of old and the unsatisfying, hold it up for the Lord's cleansing. If your cup is cracked and broken, hold it up anyway, for the Lord's resources are plentiful and can keep even leaky cups replenished. Come to him... and then you can say "Surely...my cup runneth over."
The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. Psalm 23:1
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