You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows. Psalm 23:5
There are a lot of enemies running around in 2020 and most of them are not in the news every day! In a year like this, it is more important than ever to get this part of Psalm 23 right!
This truth has two equal parts and they are both equally misunderstood and misused, at least by me. Maybe you will be able to relate.
I love this truth of God, The Shepherd, preparing a table for me. It actually blows my mind to think this God of Creation not only takes the time to do this, He wants to do it! God wants to take care of me! He wants to take care of you! Crazy, isn’t it!? He doesn’t begrudgingly go about giving me tidbits here and there or haphazardly throw scraps my way. He lovingly and graciously prepares a table for me.
Recently, I set a milestone in my life by visiting my 50th state, Alaska! It is almost surreal to think of how God has allowed me to do this and the blessings and some heartaches that have come with this distinction. One of the blessings in being in all 50 states is eating! I don’t have a very adventurous pallet, but I have always tried to make a point of trying some of the local cuisine every trip or every new home location.
I’ve had everything from amazing Alaskan halibut to Maine lobsters to Nebraska beef and Louisiana jambalaya. And I’ve had just about every good, bad and ugly experience in a host of different styles of restaurants. I can honestly say that it made no difference if it was a “hole in the wall diner” or a 5-Star high rise restaurant, if the table set before me was thoughtfully executed and the service spot on, the food was just that much better even if it was not a favorite dish.
But if the table set before me was sticky with food scrapes at my feet and the service rude or uninviting, even the most delicious food was spoiled and the meal experience ruined. So, let’s clean up the mess surrounding this precious verse, clean up the misunderstandings and really enjoy the feast God has for us.
See you at our next table reservation!