Tonight the Big Dipper dominates the northern sky. Beaming brilliantly just above the mountaintops west of Pikes Peak in Colorado Springs, Colorado, this famous constellation awes even unbelievers.

For me, the way it was placed—perfectly upright—inspired me to imagine a cup ready to pour out God's blessings on His children below!

A thought followed that seems to naturally accompany any drinking vessel: Is it half empty? Or half full?

Overflowing!

Has God ever done anything halfway? The Creator pronounced everything He had made "very good." Talk about an understatement! The Big Dipper is a "very good" example!

What does God promise for obediently tithing and giving offerings? "‘And try Me now in this,' says the LORD of Hosts, ‘If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it'" (Malachi 3:10).

Sometimes, though, maybe our room feels half empty. Maybe there's nothing that you're sure was a special gift from God. You don't even want to say it, but do God's windows feel tightly shut?

Maybe a little better, does your room feel half full? "We have food and a roof over our head, thank God!"

The truth is, if we are faithfully tithing and giving offerings, our spiritual and physical "rooms" are lovingly decorated wall to wall, and God wishes we were ready to handle more opportunities, challenges and growth. God ladles blessings overflowing that we too often don't fully appreciate.

Loads Us With Benefits!

Notice a very interesting scripture, Psalm 68:19: "Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits." The wording might make some picture adding heavy goods to the back of a donkey. Some Christians constantly act like they think God has burdened them with too much! Or at least they feel they are pretty close to "the last straw."

I prefer to picture "loads us with benefits" as scooping dips of delicious chocolate-chocolate chip ice cream onto a waffle cone. With a big dipper! Of course, in this case I don't want to end up without room to receive it—lest there be hours of discomfort later!

God promises He "will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able" (1 Corinthians 10:13). God knows when two dips are enough!

If we think God has allowed too much to come our way, we should be encouraged that He thinks we are way more able than we do! If we cooperate, we can grow to be ready for more service.
Our trials are worth more than gold, explains Peter (1 Peter 1:6-7). "Well," you might joke, "in that case I feel like a millionaire!" All the while, we know that the fruits of the Holy Spirit and righteous godly character are our true wealth.

Daily we should ask God for wisdom (James 1:5). This means asking God to help us manage and serve effectively in our spheres of influence such as family, job, church and community. And what will be God's response? A half answer? No, verse 5 says God "gives to all liberally"!

Mud or Stars?

God's relationship with us is overflowing! Remember the little rhyme: "Two men looked out from prison bars. One saw the mud, the other stars."

This concept is thought-changing. More than that, it can be life-changing! Both men stayed in prison. Both windows offered the same view. The ground was muddy. But we want to be the one with vision. The solution was where he chose to look.

Everybody looks at the same water level. The difference is how we choose to evaluate it. What we choose is everything.

"I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live" (Deuteronomy 30:19). The Big Dipper testifies this message mightily and nightly, until one day God will bring new heavens and a new earth.

Hebrews describes how we will inherit "all things"—the universe (2:8)! Sermons have speculated that if as many as 50 billion humans are resurrected as immortal children of God, they could each inherit at least two galaxies!

Truly, "eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him" (1 Corinthians 2:9) For you! And "the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us" (Romans 8:18).

Half empty? Half full? If we think that way, we really don't know the half of it! Choose overflowing! UN