Feb 17 The Lord's Guest

Feb 17

The Prepared Table

Ps 23:5 Thou preparest a table before me

in the presence of mine enemies:…

 The twenty third Psalm is a familiar portion of scripture.  I hear it read at nearly every funeral I attend.  We have heard or read it so often the depth and beauty of these words is sometimes glossed over.  Such is the portion before us today.

I used to read this 23^rd Psalm and was a little puzzled why in the middle of talking about laying in the grass, walking by a pond, walking in a dark valley and having enemies present there is suddenly a table prepared. It just sounded a little odd to me.

A side note: When you read something in the Bible that sounds odd, or makes no sense, do not assume the Bible is messed up, but blame it on your lack of understanding. 

Lu 24:45 Then opened he their understanding,

that they might understand the scriptures,

When I read John H Jowett’s  “The Lord’s Guests” he helped me understand the reason a table is discussed.  He describes a person being pursued by his enemies. He is fleeing across the desert. His enemies are hot on his trail. At last he sees a tent in the far distance and heads for it.

“The way is long!   The enemy is near!   The air is feverish!  The night is falling!  The runner is faint!   Spurring himself anew, and flinging all his wasting resources into the flight, with the pursuers even at his heels, he stretches out toward the mark, and with one last tremendous exertion he touches the tent rope and is safe.” (J.H.Jowett)

Then Jowett goes on to explain that Arab hospitality makes him a guest of the tent owner who will provide him food and shelter. His enemies must sit and stare only. Violating hospitality in the Arab world was a despicable act, far worse than whatever the fleeing man had done.

But what of us today? Now if you ran onto someone’s porch, instead of hospitality you would receive “Get off my property before I call the police” !  No, we need not exert ourselves to find a receptive tent rope. God is there and will prepare a table before us where there is food (green grass) calm for our souls (still waters) courage for the fear of the unknown (dark valleys) and direction for the path ahead (thy rod and thy staff comfort me).

Some of us may think like the Israelites in the wilderness. They had seen the great mercies and miracles of God at the Red Sea, water from the rock, and manna from heaven etc. They responded to all God’s provision and protection by sinning even more and tempted God. 

Ps 78:19 Yea, they spake against God; they said,

Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?

Are we not like they when we see dark valleys, great needs, exhaustion, depression and hopelessness and ignore God’s table of comfort and refreshment.  Do we run aimlessly across parched ground, unwilling to stop and let God help us? Must God be the last thing we try when our souls are bankrupt of every human effort?  I have been there in my youth. Once I was young but now I am old.  Oh dear reader,  are you in a dark valley and cannot see the path? The future is unknown.   What can I do to convince you to stop running in your own strength.  Stop and turn to the table God has set before you.

Ps 34:8 O taste and see that the LORD is good:

blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

Two final thoughts.  If your life is going well, your soul is at rest and you have no need of God’s table in your life perhaps you should recall that the church of Laodiccea, the luke warm church had no needs..

Re 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased

with goods, and have need of nothing;…  

Or if you are enjoying the calm and nourishment of God’s table and are a regular guest at His table then stop and thank God for your blessings. Hopefully you are inviting others to join you.

May all who seek His face be blessed today.