Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Fill My Cup, Part I

Fill My Cup, Part I

by Sue Donaldson

There’s an old gospel song from my college years:

Fill my cup, Lord, I lift it up, Lord,

Come and quench the thirsting of my soul.

Bread of heaven, feed me til I want no more.

Fill my cup, fill it up, and make me whole.


I’ve been asking God to fill my cup. Not with blessings. Not with opportunities to minister. Not with peace and fruit. Not with assurances of answered prayer. Just Him.

Filled to the brim with Him.

I can’t say I feel any different (see Peggy’s post – that was a good one – “feelings are overrated!”). But since I’ve begun praying it, I can tell when I’m not praying it. Does that make sense?

I don’t ask for something to drink unless I’m thirsty. David said, “As the deer pants for water, so my soul pants for You, O God.” (Psalm 42) David was thirsty. His cup was empty. He lifted it up and cried out: “Fill me up, Lord, I can’t live without You!”

Maybe we need to start there: “Lord, I don’t even think I’m thirsty for You. Make me thirst for the only thing that will quench my thirst.”

What’s in your cup? Is it ready to be filled? Maybe it needs some scrubbing out – oh, yeah, God will do that too. He’s an all- purpose filler.

My cup can be already full – of myself. That river of self is not particularly satisfying. Funny thing – I think it’s full and then it just starts this steady leak and I’m empty again.

Another thing--I don’t want God to be just the add-on – the half and half or whipped cream to make me look good. I want Him to fill the whole cup, whipped cream and all!

Fill my cup, Lord. Today, I lift it up. (and tomorrow and the next day. . .)

Time to go get your second cup of coffee—don’t forget the whipped cream. Filled to the brim with Him.

2 comments:

joy said...

oh, sue, what a wonderful reminder to not be so full of myself and what i want to accomplish (in life, my day, the house, etc.) and i love the "new" catchphrase of filled to the brim with Him. thank you!

Peggy B. said...

Sue-Once again you have "meddled" in my life! Thank you for your faithfulness to remind me that sometimes I have to ask God to make me thirsty. I do want God to be the whole cup, not just the whipped cream...isn't it amazing that that's His desire for me, too?