Our cup and our action

Our cup...
"In times of suffering we are tempted to doubt God, to wonder if His promises are really true, to question whether He cares for us as He says He does.  Such lack of faith is sin...

Father, if my cup seems too bitter, help me to remember that it is Your wounded hand that is holding the cup.  Then no cup is too bitter, no water too deep, no burden too heavy but that I am willing to say, "Thy will be done.""
Originally printed January 2, 1941 in Open Windows.

This hit home with me because sometimes I feel overwhelmed by my cup, this week especially.  Yet this week I've been more calm than usual, seeing what is at the core of the problem.  This is coming from God, not me.

Mark 9:14-29 is talking about Jesus casting out a demon the disciples could not.  Verse 29 - "and He said to them, "This kind cannot come out by anything but prayer."" 

This explains my calm.  All my life I've tended to panic when the hard times hit, trying to figure out how to get through it or avoid it.  I would read anything I could get my hands on, search out my friends, etc.  But lately, I've been going straight to prayer instead of it being my second or third choice.  God is showing me that prayer is what will get me through and at times is the only thing that will.  Then He will guide me and speak to me through scripture, through a friend's word, through nature.  Prayer must be first and He will indeed get me through.


Our action...
"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." 
Romans 8:28
The writer in Open Windows referred to this, saying, "for those who love God and live for His purposes".  Sometimes as Christians we tend think if we simply love God in our heart, then everything will turn out for good.  We are called to do more than that.  We are called to be in the Word and in prayer, meeting God where He wants us to be.  We are called to actively love Him which means it's an action, not just a passive feeling where we sit back and tell God to go for it and make everything work out.

All throughout the bible our relationship with God is presented as a marriage and we are His bride.  A friend of mine has said many times marriage is about active love, not the feeling.  Otherwise it falls apart.  God is telling us the same thing about our relationship with Him.

Thank you, Lord that you are not one dimensional and you want us to know you.  Thank you for always seeing me through.