Tuesday, July 16, 2024
The Lord is my shepherd; I have what I need. He lets me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside quiet waters. He renews my life; he leads me along the right path for his name’s sake. Even when I go through the darkest valle. I fear no danger, for you are with me; your rod and your staff—they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Only goodness and faithful love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord as long as I live. Psalm 23:1-6 CSB
I recently sold some things on Facebook and Facebook market place. Some of the people who bought my things were total strangers. Even though we interacted, they did not ask me to come to their house and they certainly did not ask me to come in and eat with them. I have other friends, or accquaintances, that I see sometimes or even often. But I have not been to their house or shared a meal with them. Inviting someone into our home to share a meal with us is usually reserved for our closest friends and family.
This past Sunday Pastor Jim told us that Psalm 23 identifies two things that describes God’s help for us through the trials and tribulations of this life. The first one is that He is our Shepherd. The second one is that He is a host.
An Invitation to the Greatest Banquet - God As Host
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Only goodness and faithful love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord as long as I live. Psalm 23:5-6
David, who wrote Psalm 23, describes a glorious occasion in which God is host. He provides a banquet in the presence of our enemies, because we can sit at God’s banqueting table, even with enemies nearby, because they are powerless over us. God holds the victory and we can rest and relax at His banquet table.
When we eat and drink together it creates bonds. We share meals with close friends and family and it creates fellowship and trust to those closest to you. Sometimes in Bible times a meal was shared even to seal a covenant. For us, this invitation to his banquet table is an invitation to a close, intimate relationship with our Shepherd. We have been invited into His banquet feast.
Only goodness and faithful love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord as long as I live…
Nothing that is happening in our lives will keep us from being invited to the banquet table. Whatever is happening around us is powerless against our Shepherd, and His love and invitation for us to come to His table. God’s table is always set for us no matter what. We will dwell in his house forever not as a guest, but as a member of his family. We can quickly forget who we are when the world starts crumbling around us. We can forget and not act like Christ and we can forget we have a seat at the table. Don't forget who you are and who has invited you to His table.
