Will You Guard the Cup?

While spending time with the Lord one day, I suddenly saw myself in a place that I knew was somewhere in Heaven. But the only thing I saw was a cup that had Jesus' blood in it. As I realized what was in the cup--the precious and powerful blood of Jesus--I wondered if the cup was even worthy to hold the Lord's blood. What cup is precious enough? Even if it's made of the finest gold with the finest craftsmanship, what cup is really worthy to hold His blood?

As I pondered that question, I realized the cup would be there for all eternity. I wondered what would happen if someone tried to come in and steal it. I immediately felt an assurance that nothing evil would ever get close enough to it to do that. But then I thought about it spilling. Eternity is such a long time. In this place, could someone accidentally knock it over? It seemed like an absurd thought, but I wondered if someone should be watching it, guarding it, protecting it.

Then I heard Someone ask me, "Would you guard it--for eternity? Is it that precious to you that you would spend all of eternity guarding this cup?" It was a sobering question. I began to think that I would miss out on everything going on in Heaven if I had to stay in this one place to guard the cup. I thought maybe a few people could work in shifts so it wasn't just my job and I could go do other things too. But then a powerful thought hit me and I had to ask myself, "What do I think Heaven is for anyway--for me? Do I think that I am going to sit around and be waited on by angels all the time?" I suddenly realized, to a new depth, that Heaven is not about me being catered to and waited on. I am to serve--first the Lord and then others. It's not about me at all. It's all about Him. If I had the job of doing nothing but guarding the blood of Jesus for eternity, it would be an honor--the highest honor. I wouldn't even be in Heaven if it wasn't for the blood of Jesus! For me to think that guarding this cup would not be what Heaven is "supposed" to be, shows that I have no idea about the Lord's Kingdom.

As I looked at the cup, I wondered again about the worthiness of it. Then I began to see it as a plain, clay cup. At that moment, I realized that He has entrusted His blood to us. We have this treasure in earthen vessels.* His blood flowing as light through our veins. He has made us containers of His blood and as it flows through us it cleanses us, forgives us, heals us. I felt so unworthy, so utterly unworthy of the blood of Jesus, yet I had a new resolve to endeavor, with my entire being, to live holy and honor Him and His blood, entrusted to me.

After this, I was reminded of the Scripture where Jesus asks the question:

"Which is more important, the gold, or the temple that sanctified the gold?...which is more important, the offering, or the altar that sanctifies the offering? Matthew 23:17, 19

As I pondered this Scripture, I saw that Jesus' blood sanctifies the container that is holding it. No vessel--earthen or heavenly--is worthy to hold His blood. Yet His blood is powerful enough, to sanctify the container. I realized that I am a container of His blood and, as a container of it, He cleanses me. He makes me worthy.

All of us who believe in Him are to guard this precious, powerful blood that flows within us. We guard it as we live worthy of His life-blood within us--living our lives in such a way that no drop is wasted and nothing is spilled in vain. We can do this, because He has sanctified us, and He forgives us when we confess and repent of sin. We can guard the cup for eternity as we humbly remember Him.* Now the question is yours. Will you guard the cup?



*treasure in earthen vessels: 2 Corinthians 4:7
*drink it in remembrance of Him, examine ourselves: 1 Corinthians 11:23-34
Repentance from sin causes many sins to not be ever committed: James 5:19-20