Mistaken Identity

JMJ

All too often, we’re afraid of God.

A lady recently remarked that when she actually registered
what she was saying in the Our Father,
“Thy will be done”,
she was scared to say it for a year!

I identify.

I mean, what if He takes me up on it?
What if His will is something perfectly dreadful–
like letting me suffer?

But then I thought about it.

Who is the accuser? (Revelation 12:9-10)
Who wants our condemnation?
Who wants our destruction? (I Peter 5:8)
Who interprets everything in the worst possible light? (Job 1:9-11, 2:4-5)

It’s not our Heavenly Father!

He’s the One saying proudly,
“Have you seen My servant?!”
(Job 1:8, 2:3),
not letting the devil get away
with his smear campaign,
but showing up his lies
by our victory over him.

It’s the devil’s will
(and our own!)
that’s the really frightful one!

When we’re afraid of God,
what we’re doing
is putting the divine Name
on the devil–
which is exactly what he’s always wanted!
(Isaiah 14:13-14)

The more clearly I see,
the more I flee to,
cling to,
the will of God
as my last hope of salvation.

Jesus Wouldn’t Drink The Drugged Cup

Jesus had a cup to drink.

You do not know what you are asking.
Can you drink of the cup I am to drink of?
~Matthew 20:22

Father, if it is Your will, take this cup from Me;
yet not My will but Yours be done.
~Luke 22:42

So do we.

From the cup I drink of, you shall drink
~Matthew 20:23

He took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them.
“All of you must drink from it,” He said,
“for this is My Blood, the Blood of the covenant,
to be poured out in behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins.”
~Matthew 26:27-28

But there are cups…and cups.

they tried to give Him wine drugged with myrrh,
but He would not take it
~Mark 15: 23

The world will always offer us a drugged cup.
It comes in many forms
(whatever earthly thing you turn to for relief).
Ultimately it degrades us.

Jesus refused to drink the drugged cup.
It wasn’t His cup.

It isn’t ours either.

Lord, deliver me from the drugged cup!