The history of a traditional wooden goblet from Israel invoked thoughts about faith for Willa Adcock and Martha Weaver.
“…as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you.” Isaiah 62:5 (KJV)
My neighbor, Martha Weaver, returned from a trip to Israel some months ago; she brought a gift to me of a cup made from the native olive wood. With this wooden goblet, she also gave this beautiful devotion.
It occurred to us both at that time that if we understood more about the Jewish traditions, we would comprehend the sacraments of our own faith more fully. The devotion has meaning for the Easter season; it is as follows:
As we know, the Church is the Bride of Christ, and as Christians we are a part of the living Church. In ancient times when a young man found the girl he hoped to marry, he and his father would go to her father, and they would settle on a “bride price.” When that had been negotiated, the young man would go to the young woman and offer her a cup of wine.
She had the option of taking the cup or refusing it. Jesus gives that option to us as well – to follow Him or not.
In the giving of the cup, the young man is saying to her – “I love you, I want to share your life; I want you to share my life.” When we are offered the cup in communion, Jesus is saying the same to us. “I love you, I want to share your life; I want you to share my life.”
As the intended bride has a choice, we, as the Bride of Christ, have a choice also.
After the bride had taken the cup, the groom would then return to his father’s home and prepare a place for his bride, just as Jesus is now preparing a place for us.
The bridegroom did not know when he would go to claim his bride; only his father knew. The bride waited expectantly, and we, also, wait in anticipation.
When the bride heard the sound of the shofar (or ram’s horn), she knew her bridegroom was coming. When we hear the sound of the trumpet, then we, too, know our bridegroom has come to take us to our home with him.
Have you responded to the choice given? Do you take the cup, or do you ignore it? Christ has more than done His part; He has provided the offer through His “cup” – death on the cross.
It is up to each of us to choose whether we will follow Him.
Rev. 1:5 (KJV) “…Unto Him Who loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood…”
Source: “Echoes of His Presence” by Ray Vander Laan, founder of “That the World May Know” Ministries.
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