empty glass...useful vessel


Reading in 2 Timothy this week and well, i just love this book! So encouraging and challenging...but this passage esp.one of my favs:

"But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a VESSEL FOR HONOR, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will." 2 Timothy 2:20-26

So - imagine if you will - the master comes into his kitchen, looking for a glass to use for his purpose...and there's one sitting on the counter that's dirty. He will obviously have to wash it before he uses it. There's some glasses in the cupboard as well. They are clean and ready and waiting to be used at anytime the master pulls them out of the cupboard. Both the dirty glass and the clean glass are the masters possession, but the difference is their readiness to be used by their master...

i don't want to be dirty when Christ needs to use me for His purposes...i want to be ready to be used EVERY DAY. But it's hard to be ready and waiting for the Lord to say "today's the day - I need you now." What about in the mean time? What if i'm one of those fancy glasses in the back that is only pulled out on a special occasion? Am i willing to be ready in season and out of season (2 Tim 4:2)?

Am i staying clean by fleeing youthful lusts? avoiding foolish arguments? But PURSUING righteousness, faith, love, and peace? i am God's possession - He purchased my soul at a very expensive price. i want to be ready for my Master when He calls me...

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