What a 50-Year-Old Measuring Cup Taught Me About Scripture
A simple kitchen tool reminded me of an important truth: a Bible sitting on the shelf won’t change our lives. God’s Word only transforms us when we open it and use it.
A measuring cup that has been faithfully used for over fifty years - and recently helped remind me to spend more time in God’s word.
An Old Cup Full of Memories
It’s old. In my kitchen cupboard sits a Tupperware 8-cup measuring cup from the 1970s. It’s nothing fancy, but you have to respect something that’s been faithfully doing its job for half a century. Thanks to its tight-fitting lid, you can mix something in it and move the whole container straight to the fridge.
Dad loved this cup. He enjoyed cooking—though not cleaning up afterward, poor Mom—and he used it for all kinds of batters: pancakes, cornbread, biscuits, and dumplings.
It shows up in many of my memories of him in the kitchen. When I picture him cooking, I can still see that measuring cup sitting on the counter beside him.
After Dad passed away, Mom gave it to me when she downsized her kitchen. It’s a link to my past and a reminder of him, but it’s not something I’d put on a shelf and admire. The memories only come when I actually use it. Right now it’s serving an important purpose: mixing and storing homemade formula for a rejected baby goat. Since he needs feeding every three hours, that old measuring cup isn’t spending any time in the cupboard these days.
It might sound a little silly, but as I stood in the kitchen pouring formula from the cup to the bottle, I realized something: it only connects me to my Dad when it’s out of the cupboard and being used.
Sitting on a shelf, it’s just another piece of plastic.
And suddenly I realized something uncomfortable. The same can be true of my Bible.
An unopened Bible sitting on a shelf doesn’t draw us any closer to God any more than that measuring cup reminds me of Dad when it’s buried in the cupboard.
With so many Bibles available today, the real question isn’t whether we have one - but whether we open it.
Throughout history, many Christians have gone without easy access to Scripture. Some faced persecution for owning it. Even today, having a Bible can be dangerous in places like North Korea, Saudi Arabia, and Afghanistan. In other parts of the world, believers simply cannot afford one.
Meanwhile, in my home, my husband and I have about a dozen Bibles in different translations, and anyone with a smartphone can access countless versions instantly.
God’s Word Changes Us When We Use It
A Bible we open and read, however, can change our lives.
Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” Scripture gives us guidance, clarity, and direction. It helps us navigate life and make decisions that honor God. Since we usually do not pull out a Bible in the middle of every conversation or pause to study before every decision, it’s vital to have God’s Word already planted in our hearts and minds so that God-honoring choices become second nature.
Psalm 119:11 reinforces this idea: “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”
When we read and study Scripture, it begins to shape our character. God’s Word becomes part of our thoughts, our motivations, and our desires. It becomes a steady standard that helps us recognize and avoid sin.
When Scripture is truly hidden in our hearts, godly choices should come naturally. If a cashier accidentally gives us $20 in change instead of $10, returning the extra money with a smile shouldn’t require a long internal debate. It should simply be the obvious thing to do.
That old measuring cup has convicted me. It’s reminded me that I need to spend more time in the Word.
Romans 12:2 puts it this way: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
Culture is always shifting. What one generation calls wrong, the next may accept or even celebrate. But God’s Word never changes. If we want our thinking and our behavior to align with His will, we have to allow Scripture to shape our minds.
And that only happens when we spend time in it.
The amazing thing is that even though the Bible is thousands of years old, its message has never expired. Isaiah 40:8 reminds us, “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.” Jesus Himself said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away” (Matthew 24:35).
My reminder to dig into God’s Word is an old measuring cup sitting in my kitchen cupboard.
After fifty years, it’s still faithfully doing what it was made to do.
Maybe my Bible deserves the same kind of use.
Sometimes God uses the simplest things to get our attention. What has reminded you to spend time in His Word lately?
God’s Mercies Are New—Even on Hard Days
Each day is a clean slate, no matter how yesterday went.
“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” — Lamentations 3:22–23 NIV
What an incredible promise. Each morning, we wake up to a clean slate.
What was your day like yesterday? Did everything go as planned? Did you accomplish everything you intended? Maybe you lost your patience with your spouse, snapped at your children, or were short with the server at lunch.
Some nights I crawl into bed feeling like a failure—unchecked boxes on my to-do list, goals unmet, temper lost, frustration won, time in God’s Word postponed. When morning comes, it’s easy to wonder whether getting up is even worth the effort.
We live in a hurry, often feeling like we are playing catch-up, and it’s easy to be hard on ourselves. As long as we are breathing, we will face challenges. Jesus reminds us that trouble is part of life, even for believers.
“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 NIV).
We won’t be spared trials, but we don’t face them alone.
“… when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” James 1:2-4 NLT
God isn’t keeping a scorecard of our shortcomings. He uses challenges to shape and strengthen our faith. James encourages us to rejoice even in trials, because the testing of our faith produces perseverance and spiritual maturity.
When your eyes open tomorrow, remember: God’s mercies are new. You are starting your day with a blank slate. Before you even get out of bed, take a quiet moment to ask the Lord to guide your steps and steady your heart.
Think about the humorous prayer that has circulated for many years:
“Dear Lord, so far today I’m doing all right. I haven't gossiped, I haven't lost my temper, I haven't been greedy, grumpy, nasty, selfish, or overindulgent. I'm very thankful for that. But in a few minutes, Lord, I'm going to get out of bed, and from then on I'm probably going to need a lot more help. Amen.”
Persistence and tenacity shape our faith, but God often uses that growth for more than our own spiritual maturity. Often, the comfort He gives us in difficult seasons becomes something we can share with others who are walking through similar struggles.
Paul assures us of this in 2 Corinthians 1:3–4 NLT:
“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.”
As you step into a new day, remember that God’s mercies are fresh and His faithfulness never fails. The struggles you face aren’t wasted—they shape your faith and prepare you to offer comfort to others.
And as He strengthens you, look for opportunities to share that same mercy, patience, and love with someone who needs it today. Every small act of grace is a reflection of His steadfast love.
I AM
I bought this beautiful print for my husband. Click on the image to go to the vendor. I don’t profit if you do, I just wanted to give you the option.
The lyrics of “Forever YHWH” by Elevation Worship filled the sanctuary last Sunday, and as I sang, I found myself struck by the weight of the names we were proclaiming. Adonai (Lord). Elohim (God). While there are endless charts and studies dedicated to the names of God, the one that arrested my heart was the simplest: “I AM.”
This name comes from Exodus 3. Moses encounters a bush that is burning but not consumed and approaches to investigate. God speaks to him from the fire, calling him to lead the Israelites out of slavery and into freedom. Moses, understandably hesitant, asks what he should say if the people ask who sent him. God doesn't offer a long list of credentials. Instead, God replies, “Tell them this: I AM has sent me to you.”
“I am” is a complete sentence. It contains both a subject and a verb. Normally, we add a description after it: I am tired. I am happy. I am Joe. But God adds nothing. The absence of a qualifier tells us everything. God is self-sufficient, self-sustaining, eternal. He simply is. Jesus echoes this truth in John 8:58 when He declares, “Before Abraham was born, I am.”
This name of God excites me. It is expansive and all-encompassing. God does not need the noun after the verb. Yet in our human, English-speaking minds, there is a blank after “AM” that we long to fill with whatever attribute of God we most need to cling to in the moment.
When we are ill, I AM Healer.
When we are grieving, I AM Comforter.
When we are lost, I AM Light in the Darkness.
I AM Provider.
I AM Miracle Worker.
I AM Strength and Shield.
But lately, my own "I ams" have felt much heavier.
The author worn out and asleep in the passenger seat.
I am tired.
I am busy.
I am frustrated.
I am overwhelmed.
I have more things to do than hours in my day. Our church is in the middle of 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting, and while the daily prayer service is powerful and meaningful, setting aside an hour each day stretches an already packed schedule. My husband and I are fasting certain things, and I desperately miss chocolate! I need to take the dog to the vet, but my truck has started grinding up its recently replaced transmission, and I can’t put the dog in the rental car.
My house is still unsettled now that the Christmas decorations are down. There are boxes of cookware on my kitchen floor waiting to be taken to the thrift store. I have my own medical appointments and others to take Mom to. The dishwasher randomly loses power and refuses to come back on until it feels like it, no matter how many times I flip the breaker, so I have to hand-wash dishes I normally just rinse and load. I need to add “find an electrician” to my to-do list. I am trying to learn Italian. And laundry. There is always laundry…
I find myself saying, I am at my limit.
In those moments, I realize I don't need to fill in the blank with my own efforts. I need the One who is already everything. I need peace, rest, and understanding. What a blessing it is to stop the frantic "doing," kneel at His feet, and simply rest in the presence and love of I AM.
*To ease confusion for local friends, this was written 1/20 during 21 Days of Prayer. I’m only now getting it posted! I’ll do better!