How do you react to hard times and bad circumstances? Usually our human nature is to either blame God and turn away from Him or seek His comfort and turn to Him. Do you know that He wants to comfort you IN THE MIDST of your difficulties.
The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me. Thou dost prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; Thou hast anointed my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Psalms 23 New American Standard Bible (Italics mine)
There is so much comfort in this psalm, but let’s concentrate on verse 5.
Prepare in the Hebrew means “in a row, that is, arrange, put in order, ordain, prepare.” If He is arranging, preparing, setting a table for you, this means He has a PURPOSE for you in the trial.
If the table is “in the presence of my enemies”, it means your enemies are nearby. This table is prepared for you, RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF YOUR TRIAL or difficulties. Not before, not after, but right in the middle, just when you need it.
Having this table set before you, implies AN INVITATION. Are you going to sit at the table with Him right in the midst of your trial? Or are you going to refuse to come to the table that He has set for you? It is your choice.
A table represents FELLOWSHIP- He wants to meet with you in your trial. He is offering you HIS PRESENCE in your trial. Will you turn to Him and FELLOWSHIP with Him in your trial? Will you cling to Him in your trial?
Table implies NOURISHMENT. We eat at the table. In the midst of your trial, God has something NOURISHING for you to eat or partake of. Will you come to Him and partake of it?
At the table, He ANOINTS your head with oil. Oil is used to sanctify (Exodus 30:29). Sanctify means “to set apart to a sacred purpose.” (merriam-webster.com). Could it be that God is using this trial to mold and shape you for His sacred purpose?
At the table, your cup OVERFLOWS. What is your cup overflowing with? His presence! Psalm 16: 5 NASB “The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and my cup.” The Lord Himself meets you at the table with His fellowship, His presence. Many people testify that during a trial, they met the Lord in a much deeper way than they ever had before.
While I write this, I am currently in the midst of a trial, but I plan to MEET HIM AT THE TABLE, to eat of what He has prepared for me as my GOOD SHEPHERD, to let Him pour FRESH OIL over me, to let Him fill my cup WITH HIS PRESENCE. You can also make the choice to MEET HIM AT THE TABLE IN THE MIDST OF YOUR ENEMIES, and He promises that if you do, your cup will OVERFLOW.
In His Love,
Suzanne
Mom Morsels 