Given For the Sake of Others
And he did the same with the cup after supper, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.” Luke 22:20 NRSV
Series: Life of the Beloved
Devotional: 5 of 6
As children of God, we are chosen, blessed, and broken so that our lives might be given for the sake of others.
But as Christ's beloved, what does it mean to be given?
First, I think it means that we live with an eternal focus, not an earthly one. We see the people we have been given the honor of doing life with through a Heavenly lens. And we allow the Holy Spirit to constantly remind us that our short time here on earth is just a taste of the Kingdom of Heaven that is to come. Knowing where we are going and to whom we belong gives us confidence to lay down our agenda, preferences, and desire to be in control so that others might experience all that God has planned for them both in this life and the life to come.
Indeed, Philippians 3:20 shows us that "our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ."
Second, to be given for the sake of others is to follow the sacrificial example of Christ, who willingly poured Himself out for all of humankind, past, present, and future. The Gospel of Luke records these words from Jesus:
"Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he said, "Take this and divide it among yourselves; for I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes." Then he took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me." And he did the same with the cup after supper, saying, "This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood." (See Luke 22:17-20 NRSV)
As you go, take a minute to imagine the following illustration. You wake up early in the morning and begin preparing a fresh pot of coffee. Once the coffee is finished brewing, you begin to fill your cup, but instead of stopping once your cup is full, you just keep pouring until the whole pot is empty. First, the coffee overflows onto the saucer, then onto the table, and finally it cascades like a waterfall down onto the floor. Just like the coffee in this very messy example, our lives in Christ are meant to be poured out in such a way that everything in our path, every person, every opportunity, every physical thing we are blessed with, and everywhere we go is covered with the love and grace and mercy of Christ.
OnThe3rdDay Devotionals
Devotionals that illustrate Biblical principles in a simple and short format that can be applied to your everyday life.
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