My Cup Overflows

The psalmist now begins to reflect on the impact of the Lord’s presence in his life as a Shepherd. His first thought is that his cup overflows. I am reminded of John 10:10 where Jesus says “I am come that they might have life, and might have it abundantly.” As I observe many Christians today it is apparent that they are not living an abundant life, but a defeated life. That is because they are not allowing the Lord Jesus to be the Lord of their lives. They have trusted Him as their Savior but are not willing to trust Him as their Lord.

Paul talks about “those who receive the abundance of grace” in Romans 5:17 explaining that they will “reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.” In II Corinthians 1:5 he tells us that “just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.” And in 8:2 he gives the example of the Macedonian churches “that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality.”

In our culture when we think of overflowing and abundance we most often are viewing things from a material perspective. Paul talks about joy in affliction and poverty. I’ve taken mission trips to Guatemala, Colombia, and Africa and have seen the very poorest of the poor. Yet, the Christians I’ve met there are some of the most joyful I’ve met. I think it is because they have truly come to understand what it means to depend on the Lord.

Another verse that comes to my mind as I consider the overflowing cup of the Christian is Ephesians 1:3. Here Paul exclaims “Blessed by the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.” That verse tells us the blessings have already been given; all we have to do is appropriate them in our lives.
I pray that you will allow Jesus to be the Lord of your life on a moment by moment basis so that you may experience the joy of an overflowing cup.