Life in the Flock

week5

Psalm 23

Thea Barbato has been a member of St. Giles for almost 25 years, where she enjoyed doing skits during Vacation Bible School and also serving as President of the Women’s Council several years ago. She is employed at a Wellness Practice but her passion is using the gift of art that God has

given her to bless others and honor Him. She also has a new grandson who she is eager to introduce to Jesus.

My Cup Runneth Over by Thea Barbato

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies; thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. ~ Psalm 23:5

What exactly does ‘runneth over’ mean? One’s first thought may be that it simply means ‘overflowing’ or ‘brimming over’ and that is, for the most part, correct. However, it also means “I have more than enough for my needs” or “I have received so many benefits that I cannot contain them all.”

There are times of great joy and happiness when it’s quite easy to say that our cup runneth over. It doesn’t take much effort to acknowledge God’s goodness in our lives when things are going well. It’s a simple matter, during those times, to say that the many benefits we’ve received from God are such that they overwhelm us. We give abundant thanks to Him from whom the blessings abound.

There are other times when it seems that our cup is empty and dry. Our fears and doubt in the face of our circumstances loom larger than the promises He has made us. Among them is the promise that He would supply our every need (Phil 4:19); or the promise that all things work together for good to those who love and serve Him faithfully (Romans 8:28); and the promise of eternal life (John 10:27,28). These promises constantly fill our cup so that it is never empty, even if our human perception may wrongly think it is.

Like the sheep on the hillside, we are not responsible for our own welfare; our role is merely to place our faith in the One who knows what we need and has all the power to achieve it. When we accomplish that, we shall not want. We will then partake of a cup that runs over with all that we need, both physically and spiritually.

Is it a challenge to say, “I have more than enough for my needs”? Are there times that your cup appears to be half empty rather than completely full and overflowing as God’s Word has said it would be? One way to know that your cup is not just full, but is brimming over, is to read God’s Word and absorb anew His promises to us. Let His Word stir your spirit with anticipation of the gifts He has for you. He gives them freely to us but too often, we try to find other ways to fill our cup, seeking from the world what only He can give us.

Another way to know your cup is full is to begin a Gratitude Journal. God’s gifts to us are abundant every day, more than enough to meet our needs and more than enough to fill our cup. To be in a spirit of gratitude about everything He bestows upon us, that is, each blessing that comes to us, no matter how small it may be, creates a paradigm shift in how we think about our lives and also the lives of others. When we actually take the time to write all the things we’re grateful for each day, we may be amazed to witness the many gifts we have that come from God’s love and mercy, His healing power, His salvation, His provision and His grace.

His blessings are given to us daily, and the more we’re aware of them in our own lives, the more we can also use them to bless others around us. It is at that point that we can unequivocally say that we have received so many benefits that we cannot contain them all, and we indeed have more than enough for our needs.