put your sword away

Opening Prayer: Heavenly Father, tell me what it means to put away my sword and to drink your cup.  Then give me the strength and the grace and the courage to do it.  Amen.

Scripture: John 18:1-11

Journal: How is Jesus asking you to put your sword away these days?  What does that mean for you?  What cup is he asking you to drink?  What does that look like?

Reflection: “Put your sword away!  Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?” (John 18:11) 

Put up your sword and pick up your cup, two things that are essential in the spiritual life.  Two things that are necessities if we ever hope to be like Jesus.  But, unfortunately, they are two things that are easier said than done, since the sword and the cup are different for each of us. 

For Jesus, it meant surrender and sacrifice.  It meant obedience to the will of the Father, rather than his own.  It meant choosing to give his life away, rather than desperately clinging to it.  It meant a willingness to embrace, rather than defend.  It meant pouring himself out for love.

What does it mean for each of us?  That is what we must determine for ourselves.  Each of us must ask the Lord what putting away the sword and drinking the cup are supposed to look like.  And, make no mistake about it, there is a direct relationship between the two.  In fact, you cannot do one without the other.  First comes the surrender, then comes the sacrifice.  We must first lay down our weapons, whatever that may mean, and stop fighting and defending and resisting, before we will ever really be able to take the cup God has given us and drink it down to the dregs.  This will not happen lightly, it will take unyielding courage and heroic humility.  And it will not happen haphazardly, it will take a lot of thought and prayer and intention on our part.  It will take recognition and resolution.  We must see what it means to put away the sword and to drink the cup, and then we must do it. 

In this way we completely open ourselves up to God’s will and his work, both in and through us.  That is the work Jesus chose to be about.  And if we want to be his followers, it will be the same for each of us.

Prayer

Closing Prayer: O Lord, help us to be like Jesus.  Help us to choose to be about your will and your work and your kingdom, rather than our own.  Amen.