4:122 – Empty Cup? Fill It Back Up!

#faithbites #faithjourney cup

Setting

Let’s be honest. Sometimes sermons are a bit dry or maybe don’t strike a cord with you. Yes, we still love being in God’s house and hearing his word, but we aren’t moved. Today was different.

Our Pastor has a very meaning illustration of God’s love. He showed a pitcher filling up a cup. God’s love fills us and keeps us going..As Christians we are told to share God’s love. He then took half the water from the cup and poured it in another, then another. The two additional cups had God’s love, but the first was empty.

Being honest, that’s how I feel most days. I have nothing left to give and am empty after filling up everyone else’s cup. We know God’s love is never ending, so why are we empty? We’ve shared but haven’t had the sabbath rest he provides nor are we engaged daily filling from the source.

Today’s Questions; How are you pouring out God’s love to others? How are you replenishing the love he has given to you?

Scripture

1 John 4-6-17

⁷ Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. ⁸ But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

⁹ God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. ¹⁰ This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

¹¹ Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. ¹² No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.

¹³ And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us. ¹⁴ Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. ¹⁵ All who declare that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. ¹⁶ We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love.

God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.

Reflection

Our scripture is pretty clear. God loves us, and we love him. We get our love from him and he gives it gladly, no matter what we do. His love is so strong he poured himself into Jesus Christ who poured his blood out for is.

That is love like no other. It’s available for us at all time. God is pleased when we share his love and pour it into someone’s cup. We just need to remember not to neglect our cup. He fills us up whenever we come to him.

Our challenge is not to get caught up in works and forget to replenish. His neverending steadfast love is for everyone. Let us keep our cup fill and fill others up..

I know, easier said than done. Time to make a change because if nothing changes, nothing changes.

As we close, what are you going to do to make sure your cup of God’s love is full and overflowing?

Prayer

Father God, we love you and thank you for creating us in your image and for pouring our your love into our cup. We also thank you for giving us the spirit of service to pour into others. Remind us to keep coming back to you to be filled up. Help us know that we aren’t being selfish when we need rest and time with you. We love you and pray all this in your name, Amen.