Once upon a time there was a sweet little boy who lived in a very pleasant village. He lived with his mother, father, brother, and sweet little old grandma, in a cozy cottage surrounded by glorious trees, where birds of all kinds loved to visit, rest and sing in the branches. The boy’s mother loved to cook for their family, as well as serve them all, all the day through. She also found great joy in teaching her children the ways of life throughout each day.
Now mother had a special cup. She depended on this cup to provide her with the sustenance needed to do a job well done. One day mother felt herself becoming weak again. Her cup was running low. There was a great King, a ruler of the land who one could approach to have this cup filled again and again. He told mother how important it was for her to “speak with wisdom, kindness, and make faithful instruction be upon her lips”. He provided the means for this to be. So mother once again, set out on her journey to the King. Weak and weary she bowed before him with her almost empty cup, approached his mighty, majestic, vividly arrayed in glorious color throne. In this place and in his presence was the most wonderful place to be.
“Please mighty King, my cup is running low. I can feel the effects of this, I am weakening. Would you pour into it again, that I may be filled, strengthened, to carry out the day’s tasks which are a joy to my heart, and I desire to carry them out well? I thirst greatly for this cup to be filled to the brim, so that I would have patience, wisdom, kindness, in all that I do.”
The king smiled. A kind of loving smile of adoration, something extra special because it was balanced perfectly with such incredible strength as well, that made her feel so safe and secure. With compassion and care he gladly took this cup and spoke: “I am so glad you came to me again. I am always here, and always ready to fill your cup anytime you offer it up to me, and ask.”
He filled her cup to overflowing. Mother graciously thanked him and quickly took a sip of this perfect mixture that left her feeling warm inside with patience, kindness, wisdom, love and more. She also immediately felt new strength and eagerly set off to tend her work with joy and honor to please this great King.
It was his joy to fill this cup and provide for her as well as her family the daily sustenance for each of their needs. To know his joy, gave her joy to please him as she served daily.
One morning as she began preparations for the day ahead, she called for her littlest boy to assist her in finding the cooking pot used to simmer food all the day long, that would be for the evening meal. He had been in his wonderful place of imagination, when he was called out of it, jumped quickly to obey his mother, and hurriedly set out to the storage place to retrieve the cooking pot. He moved fast, but unfortunately a bit too fast, and in an instant mother heard a thump, crack, shatter, and her little boy called out in a worried and sorrowful tone: “mother, oh noooo”.
Mother came into the kitchen to find a very sorry countenance and a very broken cooking pot. The boy scrambled to piece it back together, and mother looked on as she felt such compassion welling up inside. She was grateful at this moment to the King for filling her cup just prior. She knew full well it was because of his filling she was experiencing a true compassion towards her little boy, rather than any hint of irritation that she knows could have possibly been there, had she not been filled by the King, and left in a weak and weary state. Some days, when she was extra tired and weary the challenge was greater, and extra visits to the King were necessary to maintain her strength. She had been sipping frequently on this cup, and feeling it’s beneficial effects. It had left a peace and ability to think, reason, and respond in a good manner.
Mother bent down to her little boy and drew him up off the floor. “It’s okay. Put the broken pieces down, my son. I forgive you.” For she saw inside his heart, knowing his attempts were not perfect, but his heart did want to obey. She saw the sorrow. He knew full well his family had been through many recent extra hardships and paying for another new cooking pot would only be a greater burden upon them. This pained his heart.
She knows the times the King lifted her head, when she approached him in sorrow, when her cup ran almost empty, as she asked for forgiveness for waiting so long to come to him, and his gracious reply, of “my daughter, you are forgiven”.
Mother was able to comfort him with some gracious truth and words. For the very day before they had been to Miss Kitty’s place for a visit. She would visit here with her sons, a little ways down a path to another part of this splendid village. She was an older lady and delighted in the children. Her home contained joy and laughter, smiles and fuzzy creatures to cuddle with. Mother and her had such sweet times of conversing over the wonderful works of the King of this land. Miss Kitty also regularly visited the King asking him to fill her cup. This day, when they were parting ways, Miss Kitty asked if mother could use a cooking pot that was like new. Mother couldn’t see how she would truly need it, but knowing that Miss Kitty regularly visited the King, he had given the pot to her, she had made good use of it for a short season, and knowing gifts are not meant to be kept, but shared, a little voice inside compelled mother to “take the gift”. So she did. At this moment as the broken pieces lay on the floor, mother was now able to share with her little boy a comfort and grace that he desperately needed to know.
“The King is a great King to serve. For he cares about the little and big things. As the all wise King he is, he wants you to know of his kindness. His grace. You made a mistake. He knew it would be made. However, he had already planned to cover this for you. He had given Miss Kitty this pot, and she was following his orders to share, she sent it home with us just yesterday. It’s newer, nicer, and shinier than this old and broken pot. He wants you to know, that he looks out for you. You do not need to pay for this mistake. He wants you to see he loves you, took it upon himself to make sure you see he had thought just about you, your family and knew exactly what you would need. It is a very special cooking pot, because it came from the King”.
The boy was relieved and comforted by these words. Those big handsome eyes looked up amazed. The tears stopped flowing, and he was at ease and peace. That night mother opened up the new steaming, very special cooking pot, and finished up the evening meal. The whole family sat around the dinner table, with the evening glowing lights of candles, thanking their invited guest, the King. They thanked him for caring and filling every longing of their hearts, for taking broken things, and making new, for always filling their cups with fresh provision and strength, for being a strong, faithful, trustworthy, King.
THE END
For the Christian,
This is grace. A gracious, thoughtful, intentional King. The God of heaven. Creator, Father, Savior, Lord. He goes before to make sure His children have everything they need. The bible says, for the joy set before Him, Jesus endured the cross. He paid the price for our sins. Death on that cross. Then He arose having victory over death and sin. When we receive Jesus the King, this gift from God into our lives, our salvation is secure. Our thankfulness for this payment, only compels us to “come” as He invites, come and surrender our lives, and receive the gift of everlasting life. For we still sin, but because He paid it all, His grace covers our sin. He continues to call us to “come” to Him, leave our old life and receive the new and improved life, as we approach His Holy throne in humble honor, continuing to receive gifts, that remove our sin, fill our cups, strengthen us on the path to righteousness and all the way to everlasting life.”
The invitation is always open – “come” to Jesus. Live in relationship, fellowship with Him and one another now and in eternity forevermore. Live for and with the King.
“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Cor. 12:9
“For He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.” Psalm 107:9
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23
“She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.” Prov. 31:26
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Ps. 34:18
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” 2 Cor. 5:17
“my CUP overflows, surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever” Ps. 23:5-6
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.” Rev. 3:20
