Overflow

Last weekend a group of us got together to pray for the school year, and overflow was a recurring word that night.  It seemed like God was implying that overflow is to be a theme for this year.  A few verses came to mind when I thought of the word overflow:

"You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows." ~ Psalm 23:5

"The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks." ~ Luke 6:45

"Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it." ~ Malachi 3:10

"Return, O my soul, to your rest; for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you." ~ Psalm 116:7

We were praying for the first Freshley meeting, and overflow first came up when I prayed that we would not have to generate any artificial love for the freshmen, but that the love we show them would simply be a result of the overflow of love the Lord has shown us.  If we love out of such a source of love, then God will be more than pleased to pour out more of His love on us so that we can continue to bless others with His love.  God loves to fill those who continually give because He knows that the more abundantly they are filled, the more abundantly they will give.

I believe the Lord intends to bless us this year with such a fullness of His Spirit and an understanding of His character that when we live for Him, others won't be able to help but notice.  I pray that we would be an adequate representative of Christ so that people would be able to see Him in us clearly through our own transparency.  I want love for others to be our natural reaction to the love God shows us, because He fills us with so much of Himself that we cannot contain Him within ourselves.  When my cup is filled to overflowing with the power of His Spirit, the only place I can store the extra blessings is in someone else's cup.  And if I sow generously of His Spirit, I will be emptied of myself so that I can reap abundantly and be filled to overflowing again.

So whether it's in humble acceptance of others, loving devotion, generous giving, being filled with peace and joy, or showing grace and patience, I pray that we would be characterized by a Spirit of abundance that longs to be spent for the sake of others so that we can be filled again, only to give of ourselves even more.