A Life Poured Out

“For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come.”
~2 Timothy 4:6

​As Paul closes his letter to young Timothy, he not only gives him a powerful exhortation but also reminds his son in the faith that his days are numbered.  Paul knew his life was drawing to a close, but he did not fear the end.  Rather, he rejoiced in the fact that he finished his life’s race well and was being poured out as a pleasing offering to God.  Paul uses the term “being poured out as a drink offering.”  What does that mean and is it something all Christians are called to be?

​In order to fully understand this Old Testament reference to the Israelite sacrifices, we must go back to what Moses taught the Israelites about the sacrifices God wanted.  In Numbers 28:7 we learn that unlike some of the other offerings, the drink offering was all for God.  While some of the others offerings were withheld and given to the priests, no part of the drink offering was held back for the Levites.  All was poured out before the Lord as a fragrant aroma and sacrifice.
 
So what was Paul saying when he mentioned being poured out as a drink offering?  He was referring to the fact that he held nothing back from serving God.  All was given; all was sacrificed.  He willingly poured out his whole life as an offering to God. 
 
Likewise, we are called to offer all of ourselves to God.  We must not hold back.  Just as the drink offering was fully poured out before the Lord, so also we are called to live a life that is wholly poured at in service to the King, holding nothing back but trusting God to give us what we need to sustain ourselves. 
 
Often, we hold back in fear.  We are afraid that if we give everything, we’ll have nothing left to sustain ourselves or we might burn ourselves out.  However, holding back is a form of doubt and reveals lack of faith.  If we truly believe that God will supply all we have need of, then our lives should reflect it.  And we will find that the more we surrender and pour our lives out to the Lord as an offering, the more we will experience His all-sufficient power and grace.   
 
Paul lived his life in full surrender.  And when he came to the end of his life, he could confidently say that his life was poured out as a precious drink offering to God.  Will we be able to say the same when our time on earth draws to a close?
 
Is your life reflecting a drink offering to God?  In what areas are you holding back in?  How can you live a life more poured out in sacrifice to the Lord?
 
This is a challenging message and one that might make you uncomfortable.  However, living fully surrendered to God is vital to experiencing the abundant life Jesus died to give us.  Therefore, may we all resolve to follow in the footsteps of Paul and give our lives as a precious drink offering to the Lord, daily living a poured out life.