From My Utmost for His Highest

I am already being poured out as a drink offering . . . —2 Timothy 4

In Gethsemane, Jesus said, “Abba! Father! All things are possible for You; remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You will.” The Anchor Bible Commentary on this Scripture says, “The cup (Greek poterion) is not only the cup of divine wrath and judgment, but it was also an expression common in the ancient world as a symbol for destiny or fate.”

Chambers, in today’s devotional asks, “Are you ready to be poured out as an offering?” I’m linking these two Scripture together because being poured out sounds so very impossible, until we see the path ahead and the path back.

See, the thing that’s poured out is not typically our lives. More often, it is a willingness to take my destiny—the things that I’VE dreamed for MY life—and pour them out for God. One constant throughout the Bible is that God blesses those who take something they should love, something that should make them significant, something that should give them security, and put it on an altar to pour out for Him.

I am mid-pour. Sometimes I...

    From My Utmost for His Highest

The love of Christ compels us . . . —2 Corinthians 5

I had something in my conversion story that was different than anyone else I’ve met.

From the moment I released and began to follow Christ, it all felt urgent—like I needed to hurry up and be ready. If Jesus stayed in Capernaum for three weeks, it felt like I’d met Him at noon on the last day and had a few hours to decide and pack and leave for Jerusalem if I wanted to follow Him.

Others/Most have had it worse, but this reordering of my life and loves and thirsts caused some chaffing at work, home and really, everywhere. I was transferring out of the program to continue biggering (my house, my Clients, my lifestyle, my friends—everything) and trying to see things as Jesus saw them.

I felt an immense pressure that’s hard to explain, but I think I was used to being a king. Now I had another King telling me how I should do things. And so, I did something that I’ve regretted for a long time since…

    From My Utmost for His Highest

Samuel was afraid to tell Eli the vision —1 Samuel 3

I listen to sermons in my car because it’s how God speaks to me.  That probably seems weird, but it happens nearly every time.

I select them at random.  Sometimes they’re on the radio, sometimes it’s an old podcast but the truth they deliver is typically (eerily) timely. Today’s was A Covenant Relationship. This sermon that Tim Keller preached nearly seven years ago fits perfectly with struggles I’ve written about here and the devotional that Chambers wrote nearly 100 years ago. In my experience, God works like that.

I see God at work here because...