I think of the disciples. Our Lord shared this cup with them, the cup of suffering for Kingdom’s sake. Every one of them suffered in life and welcomed death as a friend, as a necessary escort into all things eternal and the sum of their belief.

A shared cup is a sign of intimacy. I read it somewhere, how the Jewish bridegroom would offer his cup to his intended; a symbol of their blood covenant. If the bride accepted, the marital contract was binding.

We may not love the contents of our cup but we love the Bearer, the one who offers it and a place in His Kingdom, belonging in His family. He assigns our cup and the bitter is temporary whilst the belonging is eternal. The cup we hold is on proportion to our faith and in keeping with our commitment to Christ. We have not been handed the wrong cup, there wasn’t a heavenly mixup and our suffering miss-assigned. Whatever the Lord has allotted us, He intends to see us through. He won’t set before us more than we can manage with Him.

And when, together with our Groom, we have drank the last dredges of the cup, the wedding feast will begin. The good wine will be brought out. We will drink deeply and be satisfied forever in His presence.

“You will indeed drink from my cup.” (Matthew 20:23 NIV)

Lord, we don’t know what it is we are going to drink when we accept the cup from You. We only see our bridegroom asking to share life with us. We accept. Strengthen us for the cup that You offer, the cup that You willingly drank also on our behalf. Give us the courage to drink it to the last drop. Remind us that this life is only our betrothal; the sweet life with You is yet to come. Let us not lose heart and reject Your cup. May we resolutely drink whatever it is You offer as we wait to be gathered together under the wedding canopy. Amen.