What do You want with me, Jesus of Nazareth? I’m just a broken vessel, the pieces of my life lie scattered over the ground.

What do You see in me, Jesus of Nazareth? a broken vessel is of no value in this world.

Why did You die for me, Jesus of Nazareth? Only miracles make broken vessels whole again.

I have nothing to offer You, just broken pieces if You want them. But I must warn You, I have tried to mend myself. I made me the biggest and the best and the most beautiful I could be. I wanted rivers of life to be poured from me. But there were cracks in my vessel and the precious water drained away. I’ve put my pieces back together so many times, Lord, that I’m weary of even trying yet again. And always, there are holes.

Can You really make me into a vessel that You can use to pour out Your love? Then do it, Lord! For I want to be whole! Make me Your most beautiful and important vessel for all to behold. And then I shall fill myself with all the wonderful things I desire.

What’s that Lord? You can’t use my vessel? There isn’t room for You? Sure there is! Oh, You want it all? No thanks, I’m happy being the biggest and the best and the most important . . .

Lord, my vessel’s cracked again, under the weight of worldly joys. Maybe I filled it just a little too full? Maybe those joys turned out to be a heavier burden than I bargained for. Can You mend my vessel?

Only if I give it to You? Then I would be Your vessel. Would You make me big and glorious? Trust You? Ok, Lord, but no more cracks, please.

I’m Your vessel now, Lord, waiting to be filled. Give me rivers of life . . .

But Lord, this is only a cup of water – I don’t understand – I want to water the world . . .

A cup at a time? Your water doesn’t leak out now but what if I run dry? Couldn’t You give me more?

A cup at a time?

Maybe I shouldn’t give it away? What’s that You say, Lord?

Your vessels never run dry? Because You are the River of Life? Because You are the Living Water?

Then fill me, Lord, just a cup at a time and I will pour it out on Your lost, thirsty people, one cup at a time.

I am just a small, unadorned, earthen vessel. That’s how You made me. You are the Potter who fashioned me for Your good purposes.

You are the One who heals all my broken cracks or uses me just as I am, in my broken state, cracks and all. After all, Your living water can pour through my many holes and cracks easily, wherever You send me, to water Your world – one cup at a time . . .

So fill me, Lord, from the river of Your living water – fill me a cup at a time, and I will be faithful to pour it out, one cup at a time.

“Jesus answered, ‘ . . . whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.’ ” (John 4:14)

“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, to show that the transcendent power belongs to God and not to us.” (2 Corinthians 4:7)

“But this precious treasure – this light and power that now shine within us – is held in a perishable container, that is, in our weak bodies. Everyone can see that the glorious power within must be from God and is not our own.” (2 Corinthians 4:7/Living Bible)

receiving and pouring out living water, one cup at a time –

sincerely, Grace Day