04/17/07 ~ THE CUP AND THE RAINBOW 

In the sky was a rainbow.  I watched in wonder as it displayed the fullness and vibrancy of God. 

This rainbow… was like an inverted cup.  Almost as if it is a bowl first, that captures and holds all the essence of our glorious Father… then tips upside down and becomes a rainbow.  Beautifully breathtaking and stupendous, with colors and light beyond description, the rainbow is beyond imitation.  It is, quite literally, a Glory in the sky.

It is in that rainbow position, that up-side-down-ness, where the Glory of God is seen.

So I cup my hands to catch the outpouring of Him.  I open myself to all His goodness, His kindness, His awesome works and testimonies.  I laugh!  It is marvelous to be so filled!  Yet in the full cup, in my cupped full hands, the triune richness of God does not manifest itself like it does in His rainbow.  This filling is very private.  A quiet, personal thing ~ and without care it can lead to a lonely fullness.  AN inward satisfaction that is not as it should be, not as He intended.  We, quite honestly, settle for less than we deserve.  (Remember that we deserve exactly what He died to preserve.)  This full position often ends in strife, jealousy, comparison, and judging ~ because we are drawn to see who has the fullest cup.

He says ~ being filled was never met to be private and isolated. 

He says ~ infilling is not a gift to hoard. 

Hoarding the infilling, whether intentional or accidental, usually leads to stagnation as well.  It becomes a road from inverted to perverted.  In this preoccupation of self, I am no testimony to His Glory.  I am no rainbow.  I display no covenant promises, no matter how full I am.

And so He asks, “Can I tip your hand?”   How I fight it even as I say yes! (What other answer is there when God Himself ask you permission?)   In this tipping process, it FEELS as though I am about to lose everything.  It FEELS as though I am finished, about to die, wiped, wrung, dried out, eliminated.  It FEELS as though I ought to panic.  PANIC sets in!

Now ~ at His heavy prompting ~ my hand tips just a little.  How fast my imaging changes!  My hand tips ever so slightly, to serve someone else in a tiny fractional way.  I tie a shoe.  I read a story.  I write a letter.  I make a phone call.  I send a flower.  I smile through my car window.  I say thank you to the McDonald lad.  And suddenly, the very suddenlies of God Himself, blooms within me!  Watch how rainbow I become! 

In the tipping process I do not empty!   I become alive!

His radiance and color flow through me without effort!

His sparkle and majesty display themselves vividly against my backdrop. 

A little tipping, a little service, a little less of me and more of someone ~ ANYONE ~ else.. and whammie.  I am a Rainbow of God!

A vessel of His Glory!  A striking contrast of His Promise spelled out in living color against the sky.

I feel so cherished at this moment.  So lovingly held.  So “cupped” by His embrace.

Nevertheless I am continually with You;  You do hold my right hand.  You will guide me with Your counsel and afterward receive me to honor and glory.   Cupped and cherished.                  Ps 73:23 

Cherish ~ means to heat, to soften by heat.  To keep warm, as when birds sit on their eggs.

To be cherished is to be held, cuddled, be treated tenderly, thought of as valuable ~ irreplaceable.

     To be cherished is to be the cup, being filled and replenished. 

To be a cherisher is to hold, to cuddle, to treat others tenderly and think them valuable ~ irreplaceable.

     To be the cherisher is to be the rainbow, emptying out yourself to give glory to someone else.

Jesus said  “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least ~ you did for Me.” Matthew 25:40

John 21:15 –17  they will know we are Christians by our love.

Peter… do you love Me?

(love – agapao – a direction of will, to find one’s joy in)

Jesus… You know that I love You.

(know – eido – to perceive through outward senses, especially physical sight)

(love – phileo – to befriend, love through common interest)

Peter… do you love Me?       Same question.

Jesus…  You know that I love You.       Same response.

Peter… do you love Me?

(love – phileo – to befriend, love through common interest)

Jesus… You know that I love You.

(know – ginosko – to know experientially)

(love – phileo – to befriend, love through common interest)

The Glory of Jesus, coming into the level of love we can offer and being satisfied with that.

And so the Glory of His Bow ~ not caring for filling the cup as much as tipping it out.

I wonder how many rainbows have filled the sky, never noticed by one soul.  

How often have they kissed the horizon, never appreciated by human eye,

      never thanked, never marveled over or never painted or photographed. 

I wonder how many rainbows just enjoy being tipped over to display His Glory.  I wonder. 

If they understand they were created to display His Glory,

they will glorify every bow, whether they are seen or not. 

Prayer ~

Likewise we want to shine for You, Lord God Almighty, not to be seen by man but because to shine Your Rainbow Splendor, to display Your Covenant Promises, on this earth is our function and most high calling.  We need no further reason to spill Your Glory on mankind than that.