If I had to do a poll amongst the readers, I know that everyone of you would say that within the last month, you have been out to eat at a restaurant. You may have went to an Outback Steakhouse, a TGI Friday's, a Ruth's Chris, a Ruby Tuesday, and the list is endless. When we first get to the restaurant after being seated, the waitress comes to your table and asks you "What would you like to drink?" Some of us will say water with lemon. Some of us will say an Arnold Palmer (half tea / half lemonade). Some of us will say our favorite Pepsi product. Upon return with the beverages, if you ordered an Arnold Palmer or a water with lemon, you tend to take the straw out of its package and begin to stir the contents together. You stir because you want to create an overall taste throughout the drink. If you have stirred correctly, then you will be saying, "This is good and it quenched my thirst!" If we look at this thing from a spiritual perspective, someone uses His straw from Heaven to stir His drinks (us) on a regular basis. This someone is our Heavenly Father through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and the blessed Holy Spirit. Through today's main scripture, this point is further emphasized.
Today's main scripture is located in Paul's letter to the church at Philippi. This book was written approximately in 61 A.D. Scholars state that Philippians is about Christ in our life, Christ in our mind, Christ as our goal, Christ as our strength, and joy through suffering. Within this particular chapter, Chapter 2, Paul delivers messages on imitating Christ's humility (verses 1 - 11), shining as stars (verses 12 - 18), and talking about his co-laborers in ministry, Timothy and Epaphroditus (verses 19 - 30). Within Paul's discussion of shining as stars is where we find today's thought. This will disclose how God is the straw that stirs your drink.
Paul begins our text for today by saying, "for it is God who works in you". Right off the bat, Paul identifies that it is God who "stirs" us up. There was a song sung back in the 1990's entitled "Stir Up the Gift". The song writer said, "Lay your hands on me, stir up the gift! Touch me, Lord, stir up the gift!" How many of you on today are asking God to stir up the gifts that reside in you? How many of you are asking God to touch you? How many of you realize and recognize that it is not anything good you have done, but it's because of God that we are able to exercise the gifts He has placed in us! Paul lets us know in Acts 17:28 that it is in God that we live, move, and have our being. Aren't you glad to know that it is God, not Satan that stirs your drink?
Since God is the straw that stirs His drinks (us), we can go out and be a service to His people! Paul concludes this thought by saying, "to will and to act according to His good purpose". Some of you on today may be the drink of encouragement someone needs. Some of you on today may be the drink of prayer someone needs. Some of you on today may be the love someone needs. Some of you on today may be the drink of happiness someone needs. Everyone who reads this message serves as someone's drink! When you are the drink that comes from God's kitchen, you are willed and acting according to His good purpose! We never know how we, as believers, bless people. As God stirs you, allow Him to properly mix His Spirit, His anointing, and His other ingredients inside of you because you have a world to serve and a God to glorify!
In closing, we all like a good drink/beverage, especially if the contents have been properly stirred. Just in case the drink makers did not accomplish this, that's why we have straws. On today, I am blessed to know that God serves as the straw to stir us up as His drinks to be served to His people! He works in us that we may be willed and act according to His good purpose! Ask yourself this question: Are you servable where someone can be refreshed by your drink? If not, allow God to stir continuously in your life!
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