Quote from Forum Archives on January 12, 2005, 7:04 pm

Posted by: wrather <wrather@...>

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The Burning Bush Devotional

(Over 13,000 subscribers in 75 countries)

01.12.05

Your Cup of Life

Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s
servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus. So Jesus
said to Peter, “Put your sword into the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup
which My Father has given Me?” - John 13:10-11.

The ear-cutting incident occurred when they came to arrest Jesus through the
betrayal of Judas. With the actions of Peter and the words of Jesus, we can
see the difference of how the world views things and how God views things.
What was the “cup” for Jesus? The “cup” for Jesus was to come to this world
walking as a human being for some 30 years and finally to suffer and die on
a Roman cross even though He was innocent of any wrongdoing.

To some extent, we have no control over our own personal “cup” of life.
Jesus, however, chose to give up the glories of Heaven coming to earth to
become our Savior. We had no personal control or choice as to whether or not
to be born or when to be born into this life. We had no personal control or
choice as to whom our natural parents would be. We do have some control over
what career or profession we will pursue but even with this, there are some
limiting factors. We are limited in some career and professions by our
intelligence and by our financial capability to obtain the education needed.

Some people like my son, Nick, are born with Downs Syndrome or other
physical or mental handicaps. Some people during their lifetime develop
physical or mental handicaps. That is their “cup” of life. What is your
“cup” of life? Have you accepted your “cup” of life as did Jesus?

There is an old word often used in connection to the call of God on a person’s
life - especially preachers. That word is “surrender.” The dictionary
defines “surrender” as “To relinquish possession or control of to another
because of demand or compulsion” or “To give up in favor of another.” It is
not just preachers that need to surrender to their “cup” of life.

A failure to “surrender” to the “cup” of life God has given to us can result
in many problems. Those problems coming from a lack of surrender can result
in stress, anxiety, depression, and other mental ailments, and the physical
problems that come with them. In addition, this is the underlying cause of
the addictions that many people have developed. With nearly every addiction
there is an underlying problem but even deeper there may be this lack of
“surrender.” Therefore, the first place to begin in overcoming an addiction
is to surrender to the “cup” of life that you have been given.

Have you surrendered to your “cup” of life? If not now is the time to do so.
Surrender to all that God has for you and then you will have peace and
experience a closer walk with your Lord then you have ever had before.

Copyright © 2005. Ed Wrather. Permission is given for use of the devotionals
on a non-profit basis with source credited. On June 8, 1998 the email
version of the Burning Bush Devotional was first sent.

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