"Drinking" is Good, But From Which Cup?

John 18:10-11
10Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant's name was Malchus.) 11Jesus commanded Peter, "Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?"

Peter, trying to control the situation as the soldiers came to collect Jesus, struck out in wrath, in defense; it's hardly a stretch for us to put ourselves in Peter's shoes. Defend the one you love! We don't know for sure, but I seriously doubt Peter prayed or was led by God to cut off the servant's ear. He was acting on his own power. But Jesus says: "Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?" So on one end we have Peter acting in his own power trying to control an outcome that isn't his to control (drinking from his own cup); and on the other hand we have Jesus drinking from the right cup the one his Father gave him. . .

Let us today abandon our self-controlling ways of our lives by putting down our cup, and drink out of the cup the Father has given us! Even though in Jesus' case, it wasn't to be a particularly pleasant experience, it was God's will, and he did so much through it. Trust that God's cup in our lives will be used to accomplish his purposes as well.

Fill me up

Every once and awhile, I have a flashback to how poorly I handled things in my last dating relationship. The cause of the flashback this time was something that Dr. Tom Barrett shared at First Light this week. He talked about what a toll it takes on a family when they never know what mood you are going to be in when you come home from work. Although I've never had the true experience of being the man of the house, I did have a simulated version for almost 2 years. Most of the time that I was dating Ohio (kind of like raising Arizona but with less responsibility), I headed straight to her family's house from work. It was the easiest way for us to hang out, and I got a lot of free meals. In hindsight, this was hard for an introvert with a stressful job. I brought a lot of my frustrations there with me. I could usually put on a good face for the fam, but a lot of days my demeanor toward the one I was closest too--the girl--was miserable.

It got my attention when she would bring it up, but I didn't really think too much about it back then--we had other problems and I justified my demeanor by my crappy job. It hit hard, however, when I had the flashback on Wednesday. I felt hopeless seeing my past and looking to the future. Was the way I acted then--up one day and dour the next--the inevitability of any future family experience that I might have? Life has ups and downs--how in the world was I going to always put a consistent, joyful face on as I walked in the door from work? Then it hit me--it's possible with God's help. I know, I deserve a trophy for such an ingenious idea--everything is possible with God...but it goes a little deeper than that.

Think about the ocean floor. Basically, there's a whole other world down there with mountains and trenches--miles and miles worth of ups and down. But what does it look like from above--pretty flat, right? The water fills in perfectly so that the top is consistently flat (well, except for that pesky moon and it's effect on the tides). I saw my life that same way (sans pesky moon): my internal emotional ups and downs may be as extreme as the ocean floor; however, if I allow the Spirit to fill me up each day, I can present a level surface to those who see me from the outside. Suddenly, it was possible to be different--to not have to relive the past failures of being a question mark as I pulled into the driveway every day.

So now the challenge is to let the Spirit have enough access to my life so that He can fill every trench and cover every mountain with His presence. I need to be so close to the Lord that He fills me completely and my own strivings never rise above the presence of His peace in my life.

Acts 13:52 And the disciples were continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

What, me worry?

Philippians 4:6-7 (New International Version)
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Brothers, let this passage wash over you when you're anxious or feeling impatient with life's circumstances. Pray and with thanksgiving believe God. He will help you find peace no matter whats going on. You won't necessarily be able to understand or explain why you have that peace, but it'll be there.

Truth Speaks Us Out of Confusion

John 16:12-15: 12"I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. 15All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you."

I know we've discussed amongst us some degree of confusion and haziness about where God is calling us and what he's taking us through right now in our walks with him. This passage is very encouraging as it reminds us that the Holy Spirit guides us into all truth, that he will tell us what is yet to come, that he will make known to us what is God's. Those truths, bring encouragement and renewed patience in a time that can feel lacking in that department. Lord, help us to press into your holy spirit. Let us journal to You, let us pray to You, let us press into you by faith, and hear that still small voice. Help us to trust our next step for your light is right here with us, Amen.