My Cup Overflows - by Joel Hempel There’s a cup half full, a cup half empty, and then there is the cup that overflows. Which cup are you? I have to admit, there are times in my life when my cup feels less than half empty. Like most of you, I have been through rough times I never want to repeat. Then again, there have been times when life has felt full and rich. But a cup overflowing? What’s that? From Easter Sunday until the Ascension of our Lord, we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord. For Christians, Easter is far more than the acknowledgment of a historical fact. We worship God and thank Him for what the resurrection of Jesus means - for our eternity, as well as for our lives now. The resurrection of Christ not only secures our reservation in heaven but also equips us for a life that overflows! What is a cup that overflows? It is a life of abundance. But the abundant life1 is not a life overflowing with stuff. It is life rich in God’s mercy.2 Easter is God’s promise that heaven will be our eternal home. Easter is knowing we walk through our personal valleys of darkness with the conviction that the merciful and empowering Jesus is walking with us.3 THAT is Easter! The original disciples were not fully developed Christians the day the resurrected Jesus reintroduced himself to them. It took time, work, life experience, and especially the Holy Spirit for them to grow into maturity. We are today’s disciples. We are on our own journey growing into maturity. As we desire and then work at being aware of God’s never-ending mercy, our forgiveness, and the Holy Spirit empowering us for service, we grow in the love of Christ to the point of overflowing.4 And with that overflowing abundance, not only does our confidence and peace of mind increase, but also things happen! Things, in the name of Jesus, get done. What things are awaiting you? What things are awaiting us as a church? 1. John 10:10 2. 1 Peter 1:3-6; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21; Romans 6:3-5. 3. Psalm 23:4-5 4. How do we intentionally grow in awareness that the love of Christ is within and surrounds us? Here are examples of what Christians can do to grow in faith and love: (a) singing hymns, (b) praying, (c) spending time in His Word, (d) hanging out with Christian friends who encourage our faith, and (e) when life gets unusually tough, think about all that God has done and is doing for us rather than lingering on how bad the suffering is. |
