Because My Cup Overflows

…my cup overflows. Psalm 23:5b

Samuel Burder (1773–1836), a Church of England clergyman penned this commentary in part on Psalm 23:5b: In the East the people would give (visitors) a cup or glass of some choice wine, which they are careful to fill till it runs over.…to imply that while they remained there, they should have an abundance of everything.

Other commentaries suggest this verse provides a metaphor for GOD as a host showing hospitality to His loved ones. That the Psalmist uses GOD filling our cups to overflowing is an illustration of His generosity, not just to the Psalmist, but to all GOD’s people.

A cup runs over when it cannot hold all that is being poured into it. The Lord not only gives His people what they need (Psalm 23:1–2), but He supplies an over-abundance so "I have more than enough for my needs." 

Why does GOD give us more than we need?

Seventeenth century preacher and religious writer William Secker suggests that the LORD makes our cup to run over so that other men's lips might taste of His abundance also.

It could be that GOD’s generosity towards us is part of His divine plan to aid us in living a pure and faultless religion – He gives us enough to care on His behalf for widows and orphans, the poor and the needy. (James 1:27.)

GOD’s children whose hands are open and extended liberally towards the less fortunate, so that none are hungry, naked or without shelter, always have more than enough for our own needs.

In His Sermon on the Mount JESUS tells His audience exactly how giving generously works: “… it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Luke 6:38

• A good measure – a lavish amount; bountiful
• Pressed down and shaken together – action that will make room to add more. Take the example of a measuring cup – if you fill it with flour and shake it, what’s already there will settle farther to the bottom so you can add more.
• Running over – again using the measuring cup example, adding liquid beyond the cup’s capacity will cause it to overflow.

This is how GOD rewards the giver; but there’s a caveat – the size of the measure we use in giving. How generous are we?

“The world asks, ‘What does a man own?’ CHRIST asks, ‘How does he use it?” Andrew Murray

 

Is our giving symbol a shovel, or a teaspoon?

Unfortunately, too many Believers allow possessions to possess us, rather than the reverse. We forget that we are only stewards of our wealth – managers on behalf of the ONE who is the actual owner of everything. (Psalm 50:10) We “own” nothing!

JESUS’s parables in Luke 16 and Matthew 25 demonstrate that GOD expects us to be shrewd managers of His possessions and will one day judge us for how well or badly we carry out our assignments. We must give account for whatever resources have been entrusted to our care and management.

Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. 1 Corinthians 4:2

Matthew 25 tells the story of three stewards whose master entrusted various amounts of gold to their care, but one buried his in the ground so that it served no one and brought no increase to his master. JESUS describes this steward as a “wicked” individual whose reward will be “the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Matthew 25:28-30

Those who handle prosperity like this “wicked” steward – holding tight to what we “own” and never investing generously in others – would never experience “good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap…” but rather the reverse. We cheat ourselves out of GOD’s goodness and favor because we would rather be greedy.

One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. Proverbs 11:24

Our cups also overflow with spiritual abundance!

The Bible tells us that GOD gives His children a life of abundance through JESUS CHRIST (John 10:10.) This abundance is not limited to material blessings but also includes the Holy Spirit’s outpouring upon all who ask Him.

“If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” Luke 11:13.  

The Bible encourages us to be filled with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). To do so, we must empty ourselves of sin, pride, and selfishness and replace sinful behavior with the fruit of the Spirit– love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23)

A life lived in accordance with these attributes is reflected by an effortless generosity at all levels – with our time, talent and resources. When our hearts are filled with GOD’s Spirit we can accomplish all that He desires to do in and through us. Because He is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, Ephesians 3:20

 GOD’s grace and favor towards us will have no limit when our hearts belong to Him wholly.

His desire will always be to fill us with all of Himself, until our cup overflows.

“…it is beyond the realm of possibilities that one has the ability to out-give God. Even if I give the whole of my worth to Him, He will find a way to give back to me much more than I gave." — Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Prayer and Thanksgiving: Our good GOD and faithful Shepherd, we thank YOU for your abundant favor towards us in the natural and the spiritual. Thank YOU for teaching us that only good will come to those who are generous, lend freely and conduct their affairs with justice. Thank YOU for trusting us to use our overflow to bless others and not for selfish consumption. Father, YOU give us all good things to enjoy, and JESUS too! Truly, our cups do overflow! We are grateful that through JESUS CHRIST YOU equip us with YOUR Spirit which is working in us to make us pleasing in YOUR sight. To HIS NAME – JESUS, be glory forever and ever.  Amen!

Always by God’s Word and prayer,

Cecile