You provide delicious food for me in the presence of my enemies. You have welcomed me as your guest; blessings overflow! (Psalm 23:5 The Book).
I love entertaining. My husband, Glenn, and I used to have get-togethers, with upwards of thirty people in our yard and on our deck, sitting at tables under trees overlooking the river. It was wonderful. It was such fun preparing everything so that every guest would enjoy themselves.
Glenn would make sure the yard was lovely and the deck clean. He would also help me strategically organize the tables so that guests who wanted to have private conversations could do so. Other tables we arranged close enough together so that there was great fellowship among the guests.
It was fun making sure there were a variety of things to drink, salty snacks and sweet snacks. Sour dough French bread prepared in a variety of ways, and an assortment of cheeses and crackers were always delightful.
Dinner came later after everyone had plenty of time for catching up. We always prepared a varied assortment of foods to satisfy even the guest who might be a bit picky. . . .
Of course, we always made a couple of flavors of homemade ice cream. And just in case someone didn’t care for ice cream, we had a couple of other luscious desserts.
I must confess, I never gave one thought to whether a guest needed all of what I was preparing. My objective was always that there was an array of foods and that every guest had a wonderful time. When departure time came they left replete—lavished with good and sumptuous things.
Ah, those times were so enjoyable. . . . But you know, just as I enjoyed those times of entertaining, God enjoys entertaining us.
He provides delicious food for us and welcomes us as His guest! (Psalm 23:5)
Think about it . . . the Sovereign Ruler—Creator and Sustainer of all things, Elohim—entertains us lavishly. We are His special guest. And He welcomes us with open arms!
My mind cannot wrap itself around that. I wish I had a better grasp of the English language in order to expound on the wonder of it. . . .
The KJV of Psalm 23:5 is wonderful because it tells us that God not only provides this lavish feast—He prepares it—Himself!
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
The word anoint literally means to fatten, hence to satisfy abundantly.
Not only does the Lord prepare a lavish feast for us, He anoints our head with oil. Remember when the sinful woman anointed Jesus in the house of Simon the Pharisee? (Luke 7:36-50). It was a lavish thing she did.
It was the custom to anoint the head of special guests. Everyday guests were not necessarily anointed, but they were greeted with a kiss and their feet were washed.
If you wanted to be lavish with a special guest, you would anoint them with oil. That’s what the sinful woman did. Her heart was so full of love for Jesus that she lavished Him with very expensive oil.
That’s the thought in Psalm 23:5. King David is saying that God prepares the finest table for us, a very lavish table.
How cool is that?
For God to send His Son to die for my sins is amazing indeed and far exceeds anything my simple mind can grasp. But for Him to personally prepare a table for me—to lavishly prepare a feast just for me—wow! That both humbles me and fills my spirit with an awe that simple words cannot express.
Keep in mind, this is not just the absence of need, or even want. No, God makes sure our cup overflows. This is not just a cup that is full, but a cup overflowing with His goodness so that it will hold nothing else. And He does it just for us. Each of us is His special guest.
This brings to mind Numbers 6:24-26:
“The LORD bless you and keep you;
The LORD make His face shine upon you
and be gracious to you;
The LORD turn His face toward you
and give you peace.”
King David sang, “You give me your shield of victory; you stoop down to make me great. You broaden the path beneath me, so that my ankles do not turn” (Samuel 22:36-37).
And so I ask, dear friend, are you at peace?
Is your soul at rest?
Are you basking in God’s love and provision?
Are you enjoying the table God has lavishly prepared just for you?
Life is a one-time trip through this world that will soon be over. At best your life will last seventy, or perhaps eighty years. Wouldn’t it be great to view life as God does, a lavish dinner party, with Him as your Host? He is exactly that.
And face it, since He created all of this and heaven too, and He knitted you together just as He wants you, don’t you think that He knows exactly what you love and need to prepare you to live with Him in the place He is building just for you?
Are you willing to settle for a hot dog or leftovers when God has a lavish feast prepared especially for you? I want all that He has to offer, all that He has prepared specifically for me. He knows what I love and He provides lavishly for me.
I have seen some of His most remarkable creations. Spring flowers in the Ozarks. Beautiful colors as the fall chill prepares the trees for winter. Winter blizzards with snow-flakes, not one of which is identical. That in itself is amazing.
I’ve watched as God painted a lavish sunrise so beautiful it took my breath away. I walked along in awe of His majesty, and since often I’m the only one walking on the beach, the wonder of it is that He is painting it just for me.
I’ve seen ocean water so clear and beautiful that a friend remarked, “I thought water like this was just painted in brochures, I didn’t know it actually existed.”
I’ve seen fish so strange and beautiful they had to be uniquely designed by a God Who is lavish with His creation, and Whose imagination far surpasses what any mere human could think up.
I’ve gazed on the Grand Teton Mountains, and caught my breath as I peered over the railing at the Colorado River rushing through the Grand Canyon.
And I’ve been a bit claustrophobic, but enraptured, several stories beneath the ground exploring various caverns across America, that God carved out just for our enjoyment.
The wonder and majesty of Niagara Falls is unparalleled. Only God could design something so powerful and awesome. Or how about the Great Gorge a few miles down stream, where all that water flowing from the falls has been channeled into a much narrower river? The river makes a sudden double bend and the sound made by the force of the water is deafening.
Only God could do that.
I could go on and talk about the Indian Paint Pots and the Old Faithful Geyser in Yellowstone National Park, or the incredible wildlife in Denali National Park in Alaska.
What about the majestic White Cliffs of Dover in England, or the beautiful green countryside of Ireland?
Yes, the same God Who created all of the wonders of our world just for our enjoyment prepares a lavish table for us and anoints our head with oil. Wow!
Shouldn’t we trust in the God Who has designed and created these things? Since He created such magnificence just for our enjoyment, shouldn’t we trust in what He personally prepares for our life while we’re here on this earth?
Just imagine what He is designing for our eternal life? My mind goes blank and I’m at a loss for words—that alone is a wonder!
But I do know that while I’m here, I want to dine at the table of the life He has prepared because I know He lavishes His creation with what He knows we need.
One day we will get to behold this God Who is so wonderful our finite mind cannot fathom Him. We will get to thank Him for the life He prepared uniquely for us. And then we will see our cup as He sees it—overflowing with His wonderful things.
Let’s not miss it, my friend. We get one shot at this life of abundance God has prepared for us.
And if all of this were not enough, we have a standing invitation to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb . . . and-it-will-be-incredible (Revelation 19:7-9).
Imagine dinner with all of the saints of the ages. . . . The fellowship will be thrilling.
What questions will we ask. . . ? But the One Who will dominate our focus will be Jesus. We will get to see Him face to face, kiss the nail-scarred hands, and bow on our knees and cry,
“HOLY, HOLY, HOLY. . . .”
I can hardly wait. The thought takes my breath away.
Are you enjoying the bounty God has prepared specifically for you?
God has prepared a lavish table—are you hungry?
Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty” (John 6:35).
He got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him (John 13:4-5).
Recommended Reading
Psalm 23
Psalm 52:8-9
Psalm 89:1-26
Psalm 91:14-16
Psalm 92:10
Isaiah 43:1-4
Isaiah 58:8, 11, 14
Isaiah 61:10
Monday, August 10, 2009
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Friends
“O LORD, you have searched me and you know me” (Psalm 139:1).
I had lunch a few days ago with a dear friend. I could say “old friend,” but being female I’ll refrain.
I’ve known Pat for over forty years. Actually, I met her when I met my husband’s family. Her family had been long-term friends with his family. It has been a wonderful relationship through the years.
We don’t get together often any more, but when we do, we chatter for as many hours as we can glean from our schedule that day, knowing that it has to last until we meet again.
There is no want for words. No silences in the conversation. We pick up on phrases from each other and just continue talking.
It’s not that we necessarily always agree. In fact, it is common for us to disagree on various topics—and we cover a plethora of topics during our time together. But we disagree amicably, stating our view, with the other stating their view, and then moving on to another topic.
She is a dear friend that I value very highly. I think the length of time I’ve known her contributes greatly to that value. No cover-ups. No hiding anything. She knows me well.
I have another dear friend whom I’ve known for over thirty years. Lorna, too, is a highly valued friend. She is a completely different personality than Pat.
But the same wonderful conversations develop between us. Again, there is no want for words. No lapses in conversation. No silences. We don’t always agree on every topic either, but there is a mutual love and respect between us that is of infinite worth.
Both of these women have brought something very special to my life. I am blessed, and I am better for having known them. Both of these women have known me long before I accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord.
They knew me when. . . .
Both of these women know me so well that either of them would be able to defend my character and my morals. Because they know how I think, they would be able to defend my thought process.
If they were to hear something about me that was untrue, they would be able to say, “Oh, no, I don’t believe that, Peggy would not do that.”
Likewise I would be able to defend either of these women. I know them well. I know how they think. I know their integrity. I know what they would and would not do in any given circumstance.
Now, I’m not naïve. I know there are things within each of our hearts that we can never know about another person. But I have known these women for a long time, and I’ve watched how they’ve weathered their many storms, and they have watched as I’ve weathered mine.
Watching each other persevere in very trying circumstances through the years has established a respect for the character of the other. Wonderful!
I am so fortunate to have these two women in my life.
I’ve read that if we have one true friend, a bosom friend, a kindred spirit, one who knows us and loves us “warts and all,” then we are truly blessed. Since I have two such friends, I am indeed abundantly blessed.
Did I mention they are “dear friends?”
And then I have my Best Friend. I haven’t known Him as long as I’ve known Lorna and Pat, but He has known me since before the creation of the world. (Ephesians 1:4).
Actually I know Him better than I know Lorna and Pat. The reason I know Him better in a shorter period of time is because He has written all about Himself in His personal Love Letter to me. Not only has He told me all about Himself, but He tells me all about me, too, warts and all (Hebrews 4:12).
Again, there is no want for conversation between us. I don’t even have to call Him on the phone or meet Him for lunch. I just have to think, and He knows exactly what I’m thinking.
“Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely . . .” (Psalm 139: 4).
The amazing thing is that He can and does read my mind even before I know the thought is there, and He loves me anyway. Don’t be shocked. He loves you too, in spite of some of the things you think!
One of the wonderful things about good friends is they never intrude. They value each other’s space and privacy, so they don’t tire of one another.
Because Jesus is my very Best Friend, I spend a great deal more time with Him than I spend with anyone else. Of course, He spends every second of every day 24/7 with me and He never tires of me, nor do I tire of Him. He never gets bored with our conversation, nor do I.
I want to know everything about Him. So, I’ve set apart time each morning to spend with Him. I talk to Him throughout the day. I study a great deal. I discuss everything with Him. And I do nothing without first consulting Him.
The reason I value Him so highly and spend so much time with Him is because He loves me and values me highly (Ephesians 1:1-6). In fact, He loves me enough to die for me—and He did—for you too.
Think about it. Before we were ever born, God died for us.
He created a perfect world. We sinned. (I can say “we” because if Adam and Eve had not sinned, and the world would have been perfect down through the centuries, when I was born I would have been the one who sinned—and so would you.)
But God loved us so much that He left His beautiful heaven to come to earth and live as one of us and die for our sin. There was only one way for us to get to heaven, and that was for us to be perfect every minute of every day of every year of our lifetime here on this earth.
Since we can’t be perfect for even a few minutes, the likelihood of us getting to heaven was nil. So God did it for us. Heaven is frosting on our already delicious cake.
Knowing God is without equal.
As much as I value my friends, and they value me, earthly relationships pale in comparison with our relationship with Jesus, our Best Friend.
Of course, the wonder of my Best Friend is that He died for me so that He could have me with Him forever—the same reason He died for you.
But of nearly equal importance is how much He loves us, knows each of us, searches our inmost spirit, and then provides exactly what we need. How amazing is that?
Think about it.
The Best Friend we have knows us from the inside out. We can tell Him anything—because He knows it already.
For the Word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account (Hebrews 4:12-13).
In this world there are many sorrows, hurts, pain, disillusionment, rejection, and the list goes on and on. But we have a Best Friend Who lives on the inside of us, Who constantly searches our spirit, and then communes with God what He sees there (Romans 8:27), and then takes appropriate measures to satisfy our deepest desires.
How cool is that?
There are times when I don’t know what I want. I try to think things through as best I can with my limited knowledge. But when it’s all said and done, I rely on my Best Friend to search me, cleanse me, purify me and make me whole.
He knows all things, controls all things, and His love is infinitely greater than we can fathom, we can depend upon Him to work out our lives for our good and His glory.
After all, that is why we were created (Isaiah 43:7).
My Best Friend knows me better than anyone else, even my long-term friends. He knows my character, my morals, and He knows how my mind works.
He defends me against the enemy, and He is always interceding for me (Hebrews 7:25). He is my Refuge, my Shield and my Rampart (Psalm 91).
He never listens to gossip. He always knows truth. He doesn’t always agree with me, but when He shares His view, I always agree with Him. What a wonderful Best Friend. I rest in His Presence.
What about you? Do you know my Best Friend? How much time do you spend with Him? Is the time you spend with Him commensurate with someone you would claim to be your best friend?
Do you read His Love Letter to you? It is filled with wonderful truths about Him that cannot be gleaned any other way. Do you remain in constant prayer all day—every day with your Best Friend?
Are you resting in Him?
Remember, life isn’t about what is going on around you that is tangible and temporal. Life is simply the means by which we establish our destiny with our Best Friend.
Just a thought, but if you don’t want to spend time with Him here on earth—are you really sure you want to go to heaven?
Heaven will be all about Him.
“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being” (Revelation 4:11).
Loving His Presence now is evidence that we have made our reservation with Him—forever.
Are you anticipating eternity with Him?
Don’t let anyone or anything cause you to lose your eternal focus. And don’t let anyone or anything intrude upon the most valuable relationship of life.
Jesus, your Best Friend. Your closest Friend. He is your Advocate, your Defender, your Protector, your Shield, and He is your Refuge.
He is the very best part of life—don’t miss Him. Don’t settle for the mundane and mediocre of this life. Don’t settle for a bologna sandwich when you can have Fillet Mignon.
So, do you know my best friend?
You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name (John 15:14-16).
Recommended Reading
Hebrews 3:1-6
Hebrews 4:14-16
Hebrews 8:1-6
Hebrews 9:11-15
Hebrews 10:19-39
Hebrews 12:1-11
Hebrews13:15-16
I had lunch a few days ago with a dear friend. I could say “old friend,” but being female I’ll refrain.
I’ve known Pat for over forty years. Actually, I met her when I met my husband’s family. Her family had been long-term friends with his family. It has been a wonderful relationship through the years.
We don’t get together often any more, but when we do, we chatter for as many hours as we can glean from our schedule that day, knowing that it has to last until we meet again.
There is no want for words. No silences in the conversation. We pick up on phrases from each other and just continue talking.
It’s not that we necessarily always agree. In fact, it is common for us to disagree on various topics—and we cover a plethora of topics during our time together. But we disagree amicably, stating our view, with the other stating their view, and then moving on to another topic.
She is a dear friend that I value very highly. I think the length of time I’ve known her contributes greatly to that value. No cover-ups. No hiding anything. She knows me well.
I have another dear friend whom I’ve known for over thirty years. Lorna, too, is a highly valued friend. She is a completely different personality than Pat.
But the same wonderful conversations develop between us. Again, there is no want for words. No lapses in conversation. No silences. We don’t always agree on every topic either, but there is a mutual love and respect between us that is of infinite worth.
Both of these women have brought something very special to my life. I am blessed, and I am better for having known them. Both of these women have known me long before I accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord.
They knew me when. . . .
Both of these women know me so well that either of them would be able to defend my character and my morals. Because they know how I think, they would be able to defend my thought process.
If they were to hear something about me that was untrue, they would be able to say, “Oh, no, I don’t believe that, Peggy would not do that.”
Likewise I would be able to defend either of these women. I know them well. I know how they think. I know their integrity. I know what they would and would not do in any given circumstance.
Now, I’m not naïve. I know there are things within each of our hearts that we can never know about another person. But I have known these women for a long time, and I’ve watched how they’ve weathered their many storms, and they have watched as I’ve weathered mine.
Watching each other persevere in very trying circumstances through the years has established a respect for the character of the other. Wonderful!
I am so fortunate to have these two women in my life.
I’ve read that if we have one true friend, a bosom friend, a kindred spirit, one who knows us and loves us “warts and all,” then we are truly blessed. Since I have two such friends, I am indeed abundantly blessed.
Did I mention they are “dear friends?”
And then I have my Best Friend. I haven’t known Him as long as I’ve known Lorna and Pat, but He has known me since before the creation of the world. (Ephesians 1:4).
Actually I know Him better than I know Lorna and Pat. The reason I know Him better in a shorter period of time is because He has written all about Himself in His personal Love Letter to me. Not only has He told me all about Himself, but He tells me all about me, too, warts and all (Hebrews 4:12).
Again, there is no want for conversation between us. I don’t even have to call Him on the phone or meet Him for lunch. I just have to think, and He knows exactly what I’m thinking.
“Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely . . .” (Psalm 139: 4).
The amazing thing is that He can and does read my mind even before I know the thought is there, and He loves me anyway. Don’t be shocked. He loves you too, in spite of some of the things you think!
One of the wonderful things about good friends is they never intrude. They value each other’s space and privacy, so they don’t tire of one another.
Because Jesus is my very Best Friend, I spend a great deal more time with Him than I spend with anyone else. Of course, He spends every second of every day 24/7 with me and He never tires of me, nor do I tire of Him. He never gets bored with our conversation, nor do I.
I want to know everything about Him. So, I’ve set apart time each morning to spend with Him. I talk to Him throughout the day. I study a great deal. I discuss everything with Him. And I do nothing without first consulting Him.
The reason I value Him so highly and spend so much time with Him is because He loves me and values me highly (Ephesians 1:1-6). In fact, He loves me enough to die for me—and He did—for you too.
Think about it. Before we were ever born, God died for us.
He created a perfect world. We sinned. (I can say “we” because if Adam and Eve had not sinned, and the world would have been perfect down through the centuries, when I was born I would have been the one who sinned—and so would you.)
But God loved us so much that He left His beautiful heaven to come to earth and live as one of us and die for our sin. There was only one way for us to get to heaven, and that was for us to be perfect every minute of every day of every year of our lifetime here on this earth.
Since we can’t be perfect for even a few minutes, the likelihood of us getting to heaven was nil. So God did it for us. Heaven is frosting on our already delicious cake.
Knowing God is without equal.
As much as I value my friends, and they value me, earthly relationships pale in comparison with our relationship with Jesus, our Best Friend.
Of course, the wonder of my Best Friend is that He died for me so that He could have me with Him forever—the same reason He died for you.
But of nearly equal importance is how much He loves us, knows each of us, searches our inmost spirit, and then provides exactly what we need. How amazing is that?
Think about it.
The Best Friend we have knows us from the inside out. We can tell Him anything—because He knows it already.
For the Word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account (Hebrews 4:12-13).
In this world there are many sorrows, hurts, pain, disillusionment, rejection, and the list goes on and on. But we have a Best Friend Who lives on the inside of us, Who constantly searches our spirit, and then communes with God what He sees there (Romans 8:27), and then takes appropriate measures to satisfy our deepest desires.
How cool is that?
There are times when I don’t know what I want. I try to think things through as best I can with my limited knowledge. But when it’s all said and done, I rely on my Best Friend to search me, cleanse me, purify me and make me whole.
He knows all things, controls all things, and His love is infinitely greater than we can fathom, we can depend upon Him to work out our lives for our good and His glory.
After all, that is why we were created (Isaiah 43:7).
My Best Friend knows me better than anyone else, even my long-term friends. He knows my character, my morals, and He knows how my mind works.
He defends me against the enemy, and He is always interceding for me (Hebrews 7:25). He is my Refuge, my Shield and my Rampart (Psalm 91).
He never listens to gossip. He always knows truth. He doesn’t always agree with me, but when He shares His view, I always agree with Him. What a wonderful Best Friend. I rest in His Presence.
What about you? Do you know my Best Friend? How much time do you spend with Him? Is the time you spend with Him commensurate with someone you would claim to be your best friend?
Do you read His Love Letter to you? It is filled with wonderful truths about Him that cannot be gleaned any other way. Do you remain in constant prayer all day—every day with your Best Friend?
Are you resting in Him?
Remember, life isn’t about what is going on around you that is tangible and temporal. Life is simply the means by which we establish our destiny with our Best Friend.
Just a thought, but if you don’t want to spend time with Him here on earth—are you really sure you want to go to heaven?
Heaven will be all about Him.
“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being” (Revelation 4:11).
Loving His Presence now is evidence that we have made our reservation with Him—forever.
Are you anticipating eternity with Him?
Don’t let anyone or anything cause you to lose your eternal focus. And don’t let anyone or anything intrude upon the most valuable relationship of life.
Jesus, your Best Friend. Your closest Friend. He is your Advocate, your Defender, your Protector, your Shield, and He is your Refuge.
He is the very best part of life—don’t miss Him. Don’t settle for the mundane and mediocre of this life. Don’t settle for a bologna sandwich when you can have Fillet Mignon.
So, do you know my best friend?
You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name (John 15:14-16).
Recommended Reading
Hebrews 3:1-6
Hebrews 4:14-16
Hebrews 8:1-6
Hebrews 9:11-15
Hebrews 10:19-39
Hebrews 12:1-11
Hebrews13:15-16
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