"The Shepherd's Overflowing"

copyrighted by Art4Him Studios 2019

"My cup runneth over."  Psalm 23:5c

Autumn time finds the shepherd bringing their sheep back home from the tablelands that they enjoyed during the summer. The weather is changing but there are times when there are warmer temperatures and the sheep are free from the flies and pestilence that plagued them during the summer months. It is during this time the sheep are the most fit and strongest.
     During the same time unexpected blizzards can arise and the shepherd has to be prepared to keep a close eye on his sheep to keep them protected from the storms.  At times the ewe or lamb will become cold from the storm as they do not have a thick wool coat yet. If they become chilled they are not able to move and the shepherd will have a mixture of brandy and water to give a few teaspoons to their sheep. Once this is given, the sheep are back on their feet and full of energy. It is important for the alert shepherd to be there during the storm to find the frozen sheep before it is too late.  Even through the storm, the sheep are able to find contentment as long as their shepherd is there protecting and guiding them through the storm.
     What a comforting thought, knowing that our Great Shepherd walks with us through the storms in our lives. When we are worn, “frozen” and feel like we cannot take one more step, He is right there giving us the cup of His Holy Spirit to give us that strength, warmth and comfort that can only come from Him.
     As children of the Great Shepherd we are given the “cup of contentment” through the Holy Spirit. Christ abundantly fills us to overflowing. Whether it is through times where we have no trial or through those times when our cup of suffering seems to be overflowing, the Holy Spirit is there to fill us to abundance.  Even through the storms in our lives, we can find contentment knowing that our Great Shepherd will fill us to over abundance with the Holy Spirit and all we have to do is ask. We are reminded of this in Luke 11:13 which says, “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts  unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?”
     This is a beautiful picture of what our Great Shepherd did for us at Calvary. He poured out His very life blood through His cup of suffering. He is there with us through every storm because He has been through the storm of suffering before us. He knows what we are going through so He is alert to every approaching storm coming our way. Isaiah 53:3-5 says, “He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed”.   
     No matter what storm in our life that we will face, we can rest assure that His very life, strength and vitality is poured into us. When we allow the Great Shepherd to fill us to overflowing it is through those storms that we see His great blessings and others see Him through us by our testimony.
     In this painting, you see the Great Shepherd pouring an over abundance of the Holy Spirit into the sheep’s mouth.  The cup is a simple, humble cup to represent Christ coming to be our Savior, not as a King but as a humble Servant. On the cup is the dove to represent the Holy Spirit. This is what I think of when we have the Shepherd’s Overflowing
of His Holy Spirit. What a wonderful thing to be filled to overflowing!