There is a long-standing tradition of a dividing cup popular among the Asians and not alien to the Egyptians. The cup was proposed to possess the properties of representing the world, all the things in the world and the activities of it. This cup, which is said to contain the elixir of immortality, was usually passed from hand to hand among different potentates and royalties across generations. Coincidentally, when Joseph, son of Israel, was made Prime Minister in the land of Egypt, he was handed down that cup. The cup was ideally used for divination, hence the name, but Joseph obviously didn’t need it. He divined from the Lord. However, by virtue of tradition, the cup was required to be in his custody.
The cup was to come in handy 2 years after his enthronement when the 7 years worldwide famine hit hard on the world and his brothers, sent by their father, came to Egypt to buy food. Joseph put his brothers to several tests to ascertain their change of hearts, and the last test was when he set Benjamin up by putting the silver dividing cup in his sack. The 11 brothers had only gone a short distance before Joseph sent this servant to them with the words, “Isn’t this the cup my master drinks from and also uses for divination?…”
Embedded in that question is a truth we must embrace. “Drink from where you divine.” This means that where you drink from should be where you divine from. Where you source refreshment is most likely (and should be) where you source direction. Where you source direction should also be where you also source the refreshments and resources you need for your survival. It goes both ways.
For starters, I must say that it is commendable to seek knowledge and information. In fact, the scriptures urged us to buy truth and wisdom (Proverbs 23:23). One way to spot out someone who is intentional about their life and growth is to check how much they invest in their growth. Back in the university, I had a big sister in church who would use half of her meagre monthly allowance to buy books. Half! That’s how much she sort for wisdom. There are people who spend huge amounts of money on a course that empowers them in an aspect of their life or calling. In this information and technology era in which we are, knowledge is more at our fingertips than ever before– easier to access, easier to participate in. There are numerous online courses, seminars, conferences, books, blogs, podcasts, etc., all promising to feed you with one wisdom or idea or another. The more we interact with the wisdom of those who have gone ahead of us, the more we avoid their mistakes, learn their shortcuts, are encouraged by their patience or weaknesses, and achieve better results than they did. By so doing, we avail ourselves of the wisdom and resources we need to thrive.
This notwithstanding, it must be etched in our hearts and brains, that the ultimate source of our refreshment and resources should be the place where we divine from.
According to Merriam Webster dictionary, to divine means to seek to predict future events or to discover hidden knowledge usually by the interpretation of omens or by the aid of supernatural powers. In context, it means to interact with powers higher than human powers with the intent of unearthing the unknown. When we look at the fellowship we have with the Lord, it is not very far from it. The scripture says that God reveals the hidden things to His servants (Amos 3:7). And this is only possible because those servants interact with Him. They have a relationship with Him.
In other words, as we interact with the Lord, He opens our eyes to see a lot of hidden things; ranging from knowledge about your life and destiny, knowledge about occurrences about to happen to you or your loved ones, knowledge about Himself, etc. The deeper your relationship, (and many times depending on your assignment), he might even begin to reveal things about nations for you to intercede. Therefore, in fellowshipping with the Lord, you divine; you seek for higher wisdom, higher knowledge and revelation.
The lesson to get from here is that since the Lord is our source of divination, He should also be the source of our drinking. We drink to be refreshed. To refuel. To rehydrate. To drink can also mean to get resources for development. Therefore, we drink when we go for seminars and conferences, we drink when we go to school and take courses when we learn the wisdom of fathers from books and podcasts. We drink whenever we interlace with knowledge. However in all our “drinking”, we must never forget, that the source of our divination should be the ultimate source of our drinking.
It is itchy to see believers who pray for long hours, and yet allow society to give them marriage and parenting instructions. Many gulp chapters of the scriptures daily, yet they allow the experiences of their parents to inform their career and business choices. Many do a lot of body-breaking fasting schedules but still allow financial gurus to teach them the principles to take for financial stewardship. Don’t get me wrong. You NEED their wisdom and insights. You need to learn from their experiences, to see what has worked or them and employ it to your own case properly. The point here actually is that, in spite of all those knowledge and insight, the Almighty God, whom you call Lord over your life, MUST be the ultimate instructor.
Recently, I had a conversation with a friend. I had put up a funny meme that said that after a lady accepts your marriage proposal, the next thing to do was not to say, “Let’s kiss”, but “Let’s pray”. The meme was taken from a recently released Mount Zion Movie Production, The Train.
So, the friend chatted me up, and a casual banter ensured. Along the line, he said, “I like this Christ I received that allows me to kiss when she says yes, abeg”. To say I was shocked was to say the least. However the conversation progressed and I was finally able to speak to him while the Holy Spirit convinced him that, “The only Christ that exists allows you to kiss after you say, ‘I do’ “.
Then he made a statement. It might have been just a trifler but it said a lot. He said, “Something I have been preparing for. This is not fair. All these movies. I am not watching again.“
And that’s the problem. This young man has a wonderful love for God. So sincere is his devotion to the Lord that he had often told me of his contemplation to leave his current place of work just to relocate to another place where he can be involved in the ministry. That’s how much the work of God means to him. Unfortunately, he had been drinking from somewhere else. The challenge with this is, when your source of divination is not your source of drinking, you’re bound to walk contrary to the One from whom you divine.
There is a lot of good advice and insights that may not be God-advice and insights. Business lords will tell you, “Always show up”. That is valid. You want to keep yourself visible to your customers. However, if for any reason the Lord says, “Close down business for the next 2 weeks, let’s talk. Don’t advertise. Don’t sell. Do nothing. Come inside let’s talk”, then, by all means, ditch those wise sayings and drink from your source of divination.
Society and even your parents may advise, as they have advised me, that you should not tell your spouse to be everything about your past and family secrets. Well, I didn’t see that in the bible. What I saw was that Adam and Eve were “Naked and Unashamed” (Genesis 2:25). I personally do not know who has fed us with this untrue. It is all shades of wrong to hide things from someone you claim the Lord gave you for a spouse, and you intend to spend forever with them. In fact, when this question came up some years back at a webinar, the convener made a very valid point. She said, paraphrased, “If you are a believer doing the work of God, the Lord must have brought people to you for counsel and you would have used some of those experiences and failures as testimonies to strengthen their faith. So, at the end of the day, there is really no ‘secret’ that you’re hiding.” I agree. This does not mean you’ll not be discreet, it only means you’re healed.
Another thing society says is “Sell your knowledge”. Yes please do. I’m soon going to sell mine. Lol. But as always, if the Lord instructs you to give them for free, don’t allow the pressure of bills or financial coaches to make you do otherwise. I have seen a number of people who give unbelievably for free and get back in unbelievable abundance. And they didn’t do that because others were. They did it on instruction. Some of these people still sell for unbelievably expensive prices, but they know when to sell, and when to give for free.
Conclusively, the fear of the Lord, the scriptures say, is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 1:7). It is only a fool that will despise wisdom. Wisdom is crying out everywhere, in the streets and in the market places (Proverbs 8:1). What that means is, everything around you, every occurrence around you, has a wisdom nugget to feed you with. It could be one of caution, preparation, diligence, anything. But the ultimate source of wisdom must be from God. He is wisdom personified. His ways may make no sense (1 Corinthians 2:25) but it is your sure bet to a life of abundance and peace.
Say this prayer with me:
Dear Lord Jesus. Thank you for the privilege of sonship, and for the privilege of access to you. I acknowledge that there are mindsets and belief systems that I live by, knowing and unknowingly, which are not from you. I repent of them all. Help me to identify them, and to bring them before you so that my mind will be renewed by your instructions, and not by my prejudice. Keep me faithful and steadfastly in love with you. In Jesus’ name. Amen
Do you hear God speaking to you today through this lesson? Please, leave a comment or question; your comment/question might be a blessing to someone. You could also contact us through our contact page.
