Reflections on the Road: Week Thirteen

 

"Reflections on the Road"
Week Thirteen

The Cups that Runs Over

Focus Passage: Psalm 23

Focus Verse: Psalm 23:5b

Bible Reading: John 17-Acts 2

       Last night my family and I were driving the ministry machine (a cool name for our family minivan) and my four-year-old decides to be his four-year-old self and opens a small bottle of water leftover from his school lunch.  No problem.  He loves water and happily drinks it.  But, those of you who know my four year realize that he can turn the world upside down in a matter of seconds with the most seemingly innocent of items.  For whatever reason, he decided to turn the water bottle upside down and pour it all over his older brother riding in the backseat.  Needless to say our "ministry machine" quickly became a messy and mad machine.  I asked my four-year-old why he did that and his response was that the bottle overflowed.  Needless to say, I didn't believe his story (though he was cute when he gave it).

      The image in my mind brought me back to Psalm 23.  The testimony of the sheep continues in verse five "thou has anointed my head with oil; my cup overflows."  As intentional as my son was with offering a premature baptism to my oldest child so also is God intentional with our cup of blessing overflowing.  God doesn't just provide enough, but more than enough.  All the sheep needs to do is to look around him and realize that all that he has is because of who the Good Shepherd is. He is God and perfect in His provision.  The Shepherd has provided green pastures, still waters, and has directed the sheep through some pretty scary moments, and has protected the sheep.   The sheep might not have everything, but he does have everything that really matters.  We are the sheep in Christ's fold and we should likewise be able to say that our cup overflows.  Christ has blessed us in more ways in this life than we could ever count or give thanks for.  Most importantly He has granted us salvation full and free through no effort of our own.  But the question should be asked, why does our cup overflow?  Isn't that wasteful?  My four-year-old would say that pouring water out wasn't wasteful (I would disagree).  But our abundance of blessings is meant to benefit others.  The overflow in our life is given so others could come and drink the waters of life freely.  God has blessed us in immeasurable ways spiritually with the intention that we would share those spiritual blessings with others, namely unsaved people who need the Good Shepherd.  We can not be selfish with the blessing of God.  We give Him thanks and we share with others.

Reflections on the Road:

God has been so good to bless you.  Be content in those blessings.  Focus on those blessings and cultivate a heart of gratitude.  Next, share those blessings with other people.  Share the gift of salvation by telling your unsaved friends and family.  Share the gift of music.  If God has blessed you financially share that too.  In whatever way God has blessed He never intended for you to be a miser with it.  There should be no "Ebenezer Scrooge's" with God's blessings.