You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows. Psalm 23:5 (ESV)
Imagine sitting at a banquet table where every part of the table is filled with bounty, with blessings. You can hardly see the table for all that is displayed before you. Imagine just as you start to dig into the array of goodness, an enemy comes to sit across from you. He/She doesn’t do anything. They just sit there.
God says “Look, I’ve prepared this just for you. Dig in.” You want to dig into the bounty but you can’t. You are so fixated on what is sitting across from you at the table, you don’t lift a finger to begin enjoying your feast. Instead, you stay riveted on the distraction that occupies your focus and you do not enjoy the gift you have been given.
It’s interesting that Psalm 23:5 says God prepares a banquet for us in the presence of our enemies. We talked about this in our Bible Study group. A couple questions were asked. If there was a banquet table in front of you, what would be on it? And, What enemy/distraction is sitting in front of you that is preventing you from enjoying God’s provision? How would you answer those questions?
So often I find myself looking at what is causing my anxiety instead of the Person who is overflowing my cup. God’s table is always full. Even in the middle of hard things in life, there are blessings to be had. I know they might be subtle but they are there. Things like the smile of a child or the simple prayer of someone you love. Or the almost imperceptible way that God is moving in people‘s hearts.
I know there are people who are suffering. I know they look at the table before them and really can’t see any blessings. They are hurting. I bet you know folks like this too. If that is the case, maybe you can be the blessing that shows up on their table. Maybe you can reach out and show them love in a way that will change their perception of life. You can show them Jesus.
As we head into Thanksgiving, remember to count your blessings. More importantly, remember to be the reason someone is thankful.