By Jan Davis
Special to The PREVIEW
Leah studied her favorite coffee cup and sighed. Years ago, she discovered the old mug tucked away on a shelf in one of the local thrift stores. The quote engraved on the outside, “A Cup Half-full,” grabbed her attention and reminded her how she chose to view life. In spite of the circumstances, the simple words encouraged her to find something good in every situation. The cup still looked decent and the words still resonated in her mind. But inside told a different story.
Regardless of how many times she washed this cup, a small deposit of previous coffee breaks persisted. She needed something stronger than soapy water to wash away the stains.
Leah turned to the Word of God, her version of Google when matters of the heart needed answers. How to remove old residue? First, acknowledge the source of the grunge. God’s word supplied more than one answer.
In Leah’s case, spots in her half-filled vessel denoted a marked past. Sediments of offenses, disappointments and pain corroded the inside of her heart. The grime symbolized the dark areas.
The process took time. A quiet time of reflection bathed her heart with the presence of God. As she emptied herself, Jesus bathed her white as snow with his cleansing blood. Through the soothing words of His Holy Spirit, Leah overflowed with God’s joy and peace.
There’s no room for residue in a heart full of love. She reached for her journal. The little book contained proof of God’s faithfulness. Recorded moments, when steam rose from her warm cup of brew, while tears rolled down her cheeks in recognition of deep hurts.
Leah’s preferred cup may be half full, but God revealed a way to guarantee her personal vessel remains full. With her spirit and soul dirt-free and filled with God’s goodness and mercy, Leah slipped out of her cozy chair and headed to the kitchen. A little bleach and water soon had the inside of the cup as clean as the external.
“Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” — Isaiah 1:18 (NKJV).
Because of Jesus, our sins are washed away.
I love you but, Jesus loves you more.
