Being Poured Out or Staying in the Bottle

In Paul's Second Letter to Timothy, he says that his life has been a libation. A libation in the ancient world was a ritual offering where a liquid was poured onto something, either a sacred object or the earth itself. Paul's life was poured out for the world itself. In giving his life for others, Paul mirrored Christ, the one who gave his life for the sins of the world.

We have lots of choices. When we take a particular path, it means that other paths become closed to us. Sometimes when we take a particular path, we look back and wonder whether it was the right one. In the Christian tradition, we have the option of allowing God to use us as a libation to become a servant for others, where our lives are poured out to the world itself. Or we can stay in the bottle.

On one hand, we like life in the bottle, because it is safe and we feel in control. But as persons created in God's image, it is our destiny to be a libation. Moreover, it is boring staying in the bottle.

Its a bit like being on a roller coaster at an amusement park. We can choose to ride the roller coaster, or we can choose to stay down on the ground where it is safe, eating nachos. We have paid our ticket, and no one is forcing us to ride the roller coaster. But then we get on. And we get to that moment when the roller coaster gets to the top of the first big hill and we know what is coming next. At that moment, God is holding the bottle that contains our lives and we are looking out. And then suddenly, we are poured out and as the roller coaster of our lives in service goes screaming down the hill, we realize that it was the only choice that made any sense. The life of those who choose to give themselves for others is a life of excitement and joy and glory.

Our lives are a choice. Let's make the right one.