“Jesus commanded Peter, ‘Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?” John 18:11.
The other day, one of my co-workers handed me a cup from the smoothie shop and said, “Hey, try this.” I waved it off and politely declined to drink what was in her cup. You see, I didn’t know what was in that cup, making me anxious. What if it was something that I didn’t like? What if it had something in it that I was allergic to? Sometimes we admit that we are unsure if we want to drink what is in the cup.
In our primary scripture today, Jesus tells Peter that he must drink the cup the Father gave him. The cup represents the suffering and separation from the Father he would experience on the cross. To drink the cup, my dear sisters, means to go through a challenging experience. How many of you currently hold a cup you don’t want to drink? I wonder how many of you are like Jesus in Matthew 26:39 and are saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me.”
Today, my sweet friends, I want to tell you that we need never fear the cups the Father hands us. We need never fear what is in the cup because the Lord has prepared it for us in love—even the painful things. The cup that God prepares will never contain anything that will harm us. We may experience suffering and heartbreak, but Jesus will transform it into glory. Jesus begged the Father to spare him from the horror of crucifixion. But in that same verse, Christ Jesus remained steadfast and obedient to God’s purpose for him here on earth. As the Lord placed the cup before him, Jesus willingly accepted it and replied, “Yet what I want is not important, for I only desire to fulfill your plan for me.”
Whatever cup you are holding today, may you find the faith to trust that it has been given to you for a purpose and to drink it in absolute faith, believing that he who brings you to it will provide you with the strength to endure it.
Blessings, my fellow cupholders,
Susie and the Help Club for Moms Team
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