“Overflowing”

       Based on personality type and experience, people naturally tend to look at the glass as half empty or half full.

       Based on the generosity of God, born again believers supernaturally look at the glass as overflowing.

      “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).

     Note the venue where David’s cup overflowed, and his head was anointed with oil – “in the presence of mine enemies.”  The Psalmist saw that God’s most bountiful bestowal of Himself and His blessing comes not at the table of pleasant and obviously bountiful experience.  Instead, we are to expect God’s best when appearances would tell us that the cup is neither half full or empty, but rather swept from the table and shattered on the floor.

     “In all these things, we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us” (Romans 8:37). 

     The “things” to which the Apostle Paul refers are “tribulation… distress… persecution… famine… nakedness… or peril… sword” (Romans 8:35).  Such a perspective is counterintuitive to either the half full or the half empty perspective.  Only the Holy Spirit can motivate and empower such an abundant heart in the midst of seeming destitution.  This He does in the heart of believers, and this we must believe in those times when all seems lost, and hope but a memory.  Regardless of how we feel, or what thoughts may be running through our head, we are actually sitting at a bountiful table, with anointed head and overflowing cup.  The Lord Jesus Christ Himself conducts the feast, and if we will lift our eyes to behold, He will serve us in a manner not possible when we sit in the presence of friends.

     Again, this we must believe.  Our faith began in the presence of enemies who nailed our Savior to a cross of death that became for us a crown of life.  Thus, we should expect to discover the richest feast in the sorest famine, and thus, we see that “my cup runneth over” in those times when half empty is a lie, and half full does not begin to tell the extent of God’s provision.

“I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”

(John 10:10)