The chorus lyrics to an old youth choir song:
Fill my cup, Lord. I lift it up, Lord.
Come and quench this 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 just started a new book this morning, The Cup of Our Life: a Guide for Spiritual Growth by Joyce Rupp. The author describes a cup as a metaphor for life. It's as if we're born thirsty and holding a cup. With what will you choose to fill it? It's a rich metaphor...
'My cup overflows with blessings.' Psalm 23
'This cup is the new covenant.' Luke 22
There's a verse I remember from childhood about offering a cup of cold water in Jesus' name, but I can't find it this afternoon. [a disadvantage to working for a church... my 'good' Bibles are at the office haha]
Anyway, I'm thinking this afternoon about the various things I put in my cup and what leaks right out. Self-righteousness, status, material possessions... these things give a temporary feeling of fullness but it never lasts. Even good things like work and family can be idols, destined to leak out of our cups slowly and leave us empty. I've had this conversation with various people this week - how we can make an idol of our partners and expect him or her to fulfill our emotional and spiritual needs. Even the care and love of our children isn't enough to fulfill us. After all, children grow up and cease to need our daily attention.
So what is adequate? Is it just a fact of this life that we are restless and unfulfilled?
At the end of worship at Shadow Rock, we close with Words of Mission, "May we love all and serve all." This just might do it - knowing our place in the Universe. Not gods, not just space dust... but blessed children put on the earth to learn to love actively.
So what's in my cup today? It's coffee of course. The cup of friendship and hospitality, with caffeine for energy to do good in the world.