Tin-Cup Ministry
The greatest
fears in my teens stemmed from movies in the 40's and 50's. Gangster movies and epics in which Christians
would be persecuted were the worst. The other day I was telling someone about
my fears. I was in prison and banging my
tin cup on the bars, and begging for my release as I was innocent. I had been unjustly imprisoned. The gangsters in the movies were always
banging their cups on the jail bars and proclaiming their innocence. As I write this I realize I had been
imprisoned before coming to Christ. I
had cried out in my soul for help, like banging my tin cup, and no one heeded
my cry. The jailer had turned a deaf
ear to my pleas. Then at 33 the jailer
was overturned, and my rescuer came and released me. Jesus, the Savior of my soul, released me
from the hands of Satan. My other fear was that I would be thrown into the
arena and the lions would be released to kill me because I would not deny
Jesus. Although I knew I did not understand about appropriating Jesus as my Lord and Savior, I knew I had to
stand for Jesus and never deny Him. As a
teenager I realized I did not have the strength to do that, but I knew I would
need that strength if the occasion ever arose.
After my rescue from prison I knew I had the strength to stand for
Jesus. I realized that one aspect of the arena is our everyday life in the
marketplace. We must take every
opportunity to stand for Jesus so that those who are “imprisoned” may be
released. Their shouts and cries may not
be heard by those around them, but Jesus hears them. We must tune our spirits so we recognize
those who are crying out for their cells to be opened can be set free. Maybe we need a “Tin-Cup Ministry” so that
instead of those captives banging their tin cups on the bars, we with our
ministry might fill their cups with living water. What a release from bondage that would
be.
John 8:32 “And you shall know the truth, and the truth
shall set you free”
