God Speaking

“You anoint my head with oil, my cup overflows”

(Psalm 23: 5)

One of my friends sent me a beautiful poem My Cup Overflows, written by a senior. As both my friend and I are seniors it was very meaningful for us, as we remembered our old relatives shakily pouring tea into their cups. Inevitably the tea overflowed into the saucer and then to our surprise, they drank the spilt tea from the saucer. This poem recognizes the problem of getting old, but at the same time sees the symbolism of being able to still drink spilt tea and not to moan about what is wrong, but to count our blessings instead. David says this in such a beautiful way in Psalm 23, when he begins with the most important message for all of us to remember. 

“The Lord is my Shepherd.” (Psalm 23: 1)

We don’t have to struggle alone in this world as believers we know Jesus is our Shepherd and we are his sheep, always in his care and his blessings never cease, but recognizing them is the most important part. The beautiful little poem does exactly that, adding up the blessings until the author can also say with David, my cup overflows. 

“He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside quite waters.” (Psalm 23: 2) 

Life maybe turbulent, but when we put our trust in the Lord, he calms us, ensures we rest and stop being anxious and whispers to us, “Be still and know I am God.” (Psalm 46: 10)

When we take heed of this beautiful advice once again our cup overflows. 

The Old Testament has wonderful examples of how the prophets witnessed how, when they stopped, even in disastrous happenings in their life, and remembered the mighty God they served, they too were able to count the blessings of beings in God’s hands. 

Habakkuk, one of the Minor Prophets, lived in a very turbulent time when the enemies of Israel were waiting to overcome them, and God chose him to speak for him and yet through all the stress he too was able to stop and count his blessings. 

“Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God, my Savior. The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of deer; he enables me to go on the heights.” (Habakkuk 3: 18 – 19)

God’s strength is one of the main blessings of knowing him, as when we call upon that strength amazing things happen, what looked like a huge obstacle on our path, now appears to shrink in size and easily passable. The little poem emphasis is being aware of the blessings and as we all concentrate on them our cups certainly overflow.