The Empty Cup

While growing up, I did not particularly like eating the caramel-coated popcorn inside a box of Cracker-Jacks. I did, however, enjoy the peanuts. More importantly, what I was really purchasing whenever I bought a box of Cracker-Jacks was the surprise prize inside. The words to the advertisement jingle went, "Carmel-coated popcorn, peanuts, and a prize, that's what you get in Cracker-Jacks." For me, eating the box's contents was simply a means to get to "the prize." Digging around in the box and going straight to the prize always felt like cheating. For me, there was only one way to get to "the prize." That way was to eat my way to it.
I've seen romantic scenes in movies where a handsome, young man would propose to a beautiful woman by secretly dropping an engagement ring into a glass of chapagne. The goal, of course, was for her to see the ring in the bottom of the glass once she had finished the drink. To retrieve "the prize," she had to drink all of the glass's contents.
Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God to them who are the called according to His purpose." The prize for living my God-given purpose can be retrieved once my cup is empty. Everyday, I drink a little from my cup.
Bruce and I would enjoy coffee and prayer everyday when he was with me. Whoever poured the last cup from the pot would warn the other, and a decision would be made to either share the last of the coffee or to turn off the empty pot or to make another pot of coffee. A decision would be made, and we would each be satisfied. Sometimes he finished first. Other times, I finished first.
Bruce and I will not be drinking coffee together anymore. On Wednesday, November 3 (the day after my birthday) Bruce left this life and joined the Great Cloud of Witnesses listed in Hebrews 11. He drank all from his cup of God-given purpose. I was devastated when I saw Bruce's empty cup. I knew that the help I needed could only come from one source, so I went and told Jesus (July 28, 2010 - Blog). God's goodness and mercy ministered to me day and night until I had regained my spiritual hearing.
Finally, on Saturday, November 6th, I could hear my Lord saying to me, ever so sweetly, "Look at your cup." When I looked with my spiritual eyes, I could see that...my cup was running over. Every day, I drink. Bruce's last message reminded me that, "the prize" is in the bottom of "the cup." The empty cup counts. "Joy!"
I can only struggle to imagine a smile from Bruce full of more joy than the one seen here in this photo. Once my cup is empty, I'll be able to see that too .