Go To The Spring Yourself

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

                                      " . . . a cup of cold water . . . "   Matthew  10:42

     This text is generally misquoted as a "cup of water"; but Jesus is talking about a "cup of cold water."  The usual interpretation of this verse is that any little act of kindness done in Christ's name will be rewarded - even a mere cup of water.  This of course is true, but that is not the meaning here.  Rather it means that making a real "sacrifice" will be rewarded.  People in Jesus' day could not just open the door of the refrigerator and take out a bottle of cold water or add some convenient ice cubes.  Then a cup of cold water meant going to the spring - maybe far away up the side of a hill or among the rocks.  Or it might mean going to a deep well, letting down a bucket, and laboriously pulling it back up.  That was the only way to get fresh, cold water.  It meant a sacrifice.  Getting a cup of cold water probably involved going to the source of the spring; for the water in a stream a few hundred feet below the point of its origin was no longer cool in that hot climate but soon became tepid and nauseating.

     The Word of God is compared to water (John 3:5; 1 Peter 1:23).  If you want it fresh - get it at the fountain.  Too many are content to get it "piped in through the preacher" or even through these devotionals. But it has lost some of its freshness when brought by others from the spring.  Take your cup and go to the spring yourself, and enjoy it to the full.

     We occasionally meet folks who confess that they read our "devotional" for the day - but do not take time to read the Scripture.  How inconsistent to take our lukewarm articles and neglect the cold, fresh water of the Word!  The excuse "I did not have time" is pretty lame, but if you really don't have time, then please, please, please skip what I have written and read the Scripture!  Get fresh water; go to the spring yourself!

"Bread For Each Day"

"My Cup Runneth Over"

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

               ". . . . . thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over."  Psalm  23:5

     To fully appreciate the expression,  "My cup runneth over,"  one must understand the oriental way of showing hospitality.  When a generous host poured for his guests, he spared nothing.  No dainty, polite "half measures" would do.  He lavishly filled each vessel to overflowing to demonstrate his hearty friendship.  It is the Good Shepherd's unstinting love for us that is emphasized by the "flooded cup" of blessing.

     Sometimes the wells where shepherds brought their sheep were very deep.  The water then had to be brought up to the surface by a rope with a leather bucket at the end.  This was let down and drawn up hand over hand, by a slow, laborious process, and the water poured into large stone cups beside the well.  If the man had a hundred sheep, he might have to draw for two hours if he allowed the flock to drink all they wanted.  Here is where the hireling shepherd displayed his heartlessness.  As soon as a poor sheep had taken just a few mouthfuls of water he would push it aside in order to save himself work.  But the good shepherd has no such disposition.  He would draw and draw and fill the watering cups to overflowing until all his thirsty sheep were completely satisfied.  So, too, God's giving to us, His children, has always been  "good measure, pressed down, and running over."

     It is interesting to note that the overflowing cup was not provided until the sheep had first been anointed and refreshed with oil.  This is true also in the Christian's life.  There is never a constant stream of overflowing joy until the heart has been surrendered to Christ and anointed by the "oil" of the Holy Spirit.

     God does not make our cup run over simply to give us the selfish joy of superabundance, but more particularly that through us the blessing might overflow to others round about us.  Is your cup running over?  It can, you know!.

"Bread For Each Day"