Never Empty
As I’ve shared with you, it is my custom to slowly and prayerfully recite both the Lord’s Prayer and Psalm 23 each morning. As usual, as I did that this morning, thoughts of people and places flooded my mind. One particular thought stood out this morning, and I want to share it with you.
Near the end of my time in Korea, I traveled to Northern India with the young man who would follow me as pastor in Seoul. James Lynch is now the pastor of Freedom Village Church. This new fellowship was formed after the members of Seoul International Baptist Church, and Way Church voted unanimously to merge.
James is one of the best Bible teachers I have ever heard. I could sit under his ministry weekly. Powerful.
Anyway, James came to Korea with a clear calling from God. For five years, he planted churches and faced many difficult struggles, but he and his wife were faithful, and God has and is blessing their lives and ministry.
God spoke to James about Korea through his friendships with Koreans in college and seminary. He was immersed in Korean culture long before his arrival in Seoul. At our pastor’s conference in India, he shared a story as he preached from Psalm 23. I’m going to do my best to retell it. It comes from the last phrase in verse 5 - “my cup overflows.”
When a Korean invites you to his or her house for tea, it is a great honor. The host is careful not to let her guest’s cup run empty. She constantly fills their cups. As the time wears on and the conversation begins to wane, the host will no longer fill the cups of the guests. This is an unspoken sign that tea time is over. The guest, prompted by this unspoken cue, thank the host for a wonderful time and leave.
Here’s where Pastor James brought Psalm 23:5 to life. “In God’s house,” he said, “tea time never ends. Our cups are always full to overflowing, thanks to our gracious host.”
Think about that. And don’t think about it in terms of some future afterlife. Think about it in your relationship and walk with Christ Jesus right now. We are His people. I Peter 2:5 tells us we are “living stones” being built into a “spiritual house.”
So drink often and drink deep. Your cup will never be empty. Jesus’s blood and empty tomb guarantee it!
In Christ,
Dan
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