Home » Thoughts for the Week » Is your cup overflowing? (26 January)

Is your cup overflowing? (26 January)

Todays ‘Thought’ comes from Fiona Heddle, minister at Winter Gardens BC, Canvey Island and Moderator of EBA Council

Is you cup overflowing

Are you a glass half empty or a glass half full kind of person?  I was enjoying a conversation with a group of Mums.  Whilst listening, it struck me how polar opposite perspectives on need and satisfaction can be.  For some taking part in the conversation, cups were half full, whilst for others, cups were most definitely half empty.  It was interesting to observe how each perspective had influence on the way that people viewed themselves, their situation, and the circumstances of others.

Later as I reflected on the conversation I had a refrain constantly running through my mind,  ‘My cup runneth over’!  Words from Psalm 23:5.  King David was neither a ‘half empty’ or ‘half full’ cup kind of guy.  His cup was full and overflowing.

His cup was full and overflowing because he knew God to be his shepherd.  And experienced shepherd himself,  David knew God as his shepherd.  Just as a sheep’s life is in the hands of its shepherd, so David put his life in the hands of God.  He trusted God for mercy, care, provision, protection, and guidance.  He knew from hard experience that God was the source of all that he needed, that God was enough, and that God would not abandon him.  Even when David lost sight of God or pursued his own interest, he discovered that he could trust God when it came to picking up the pieces of his mistakes and setting him back on solid ground.

David’s experience of God’s mercy, care, provision, protection, and guidance at various times, over time, encouraged him to always seek fully after the Lord.  Through these experiences the Lord bit by bit transformed him to be a person whose cup was not half empty, or not even half full, but full and running over.

I wonder if when what we have in our hand (or cup) seems not enough, what our first inclination is?  I love that the Psalms show peoples raw emotion, their honest response to God in both difficult and good times.  Be honest with yourself and with God – when you find yourself with limited resources, or you feel that you are not enough for whatever reason, what is your first inclination.

It seems to me that David’s inclination was to give thanks for the cup and for whatever was in it.  In giving thanks he was saying ‘I shall not be in want.’  Why because at the point of thanksgiving he was putting his trust in God and declaring that God was enough.

It’s what we see Jesus doing in the feeding of the five thousand.  Everyone knew that five loaves and three fish were not enough to feed so many hungry people but as Jesus gave thanks for what was in his hand God was enough.  In fact, God was more than enough.

Our cups are not just full they are running over watering, refreshing, and giving life to those around us.  Each time you see or drink water this week may it be a reminder to you to give thanks to God for the cup of your life and the content of your personal and work circumstances.  May God bless you with a ‘cup that runneth over’ and make you a blessing bringing life to those around you as you give thanks to him in all circumstances.