Lydia clutched a bright pink plastic teapot that was larger than life. She handed me a tiny teacup the size of a plum, and our bubbly tea party commenced.

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On a trip north to visit my family, Lydia, in all her audacious two-year oldness, pointed to me as the one to oversee her bath time. With no grandchildren of my own, I hesitated at first, but two-year-olds do not accept an “I’ll pass” or any other flimsy excuse I tried.

I was given basic instructions and handed a bag filled with bath toys. Lydia squealed with excitement and did a little dance as the water filled the bottom of the tub. I put in a few more bubbles and then the whole bag of toys. 

She surveyed the floating toys for only a second before inviting me to tea. I creaked and squeaked onto the floor to lean over the edge of the tub. She thrust that tiny teacup into my hand and announced she would serve. With a huge pink teapot filled with warm soapy water, how much “tea” do you think she poured into my cup? All of it!

Her big pink teapot soon emptied, so she dunked it into the overwhelming supply of bubbly water again and again. Why wouldn’t she?

Our bathtub tea party took my mind to an all-time favorite verse:

I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

~Romans 15:13 NLT

We are not to take all He pours into us and run. A lot of what He gives us is for pouring into others.

But sometimes we’re tired, stretched thin, and quite empty. It’s hard to pour when we feel we have so little left in us. When our internal gauge is pointing toward the big E, then we know it’s time to slow down and allow God to overflow us again.

As He pours into us, we will find we always have enough to pour into others. Then, pour, pour, pour out everything you’ve got because God’s got a whole bathtub and more ready to completely overflow your tiny cup with joy, hope, and peace.

Those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.

~Proverbs 11:25b

Be generous in your pouring.

Be constant in your pouring.

Be creative and authentic and practical and helpful in your pouring.

I want you to recall the visual of Lydia in the bathtub often and the way she overwhelmed my little cup with her big pink teapot. When you think of this, remember God can overflow you with hope. When you feel empty, think of this little girl plunging her plastic teapot into a full bathtub of water. God’s hope and the Spirit’s infilling have no limits.

Allow God to fill you—give Him time and opportunity. And may your cup overflow with the light and love of His hope.

When was the last time you felt tired, stretched thin, and empty? Did this increase your desire to rest in the Lord?

Heavenly Father, I love and trust You. Please fill me today with joy and peace. Overflow me with Your confident hope through the power of Your Holy Spirit. Fill me so I may extravagantly pour Your love and light into others.

In Jesus’ name, amen.

Genre: Nonfiction

Copyright 2022: Bathtub Tea Party Hope: Cynthia Mendenhall: All Rights Reserved