Coffee Cups

Have you ever noticed how different coffee cups are? They range in size and color and texture, but they're all created for one purpose. Granted, not everyone uses their coffee cups for that purpose, but the intent of the designer is the same - to hold coffee.

We all, as vessels created by God, have a common purpose, too: to know God and in that knowing of who He is, share that intimate acquaintance with the world around us. God purposed that we should know Him in order that the world may know Him. Too many of us believe that we can choose our own purposes and desires-essentially fill our cups with whatever strikes our fancy. (As for me, I sometimes use my coffee cups for ice cream or Frosted Flakes cereal.) Instead of filling up with the Word or understanding of God's innate character, we fill ourselves with the things of the world-neglecting the most important and crucial element of our creation.

Coffe cups are great thermometers. With just one touch you know whether or not you want what's inside. If you know that the contents are supposed to be hot and the cup feels only luke-warm...you toss it down the sink and start over. The world does exactly the same thing. If they touch you and find you only luke-warm - they want nothing to do with you because you aren't fullfilling the purpose of your cup.

Because we are not using our cups (vessels) for the purpose that that we were designed for, they are develop battle scars from life - a broken handle, a chipped rim, a tiny crack. Only the original Designer can restore the cup to full useful capacity. Yeah, we could probably superglue it back together, but it's never really whole until the Master Craftsman has restored it.

How is your cup? Are you filling it up with your intended purpose? Are you offering something of value to those who "touch" you? Do you have any chips or cracks in your cup?

For my determined purpose is that I may know Him (that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly). Philippians 3:9 (Amplified)