The Christian Super Power: Praise and Thanksgiving

 

You are invited this month to take seven movements in a spiritual journey grounded in what God did in Exodus. The purpose and end of this journey is to get us to points of pure praise and thanksgiving—the super power of all Christians. Take time to ponder the Scriptures, write down your answers to the questions in each movement, and share with others what you have learned and how you praise God. Take your time to slowly build your tower of praise and thanksgiving to our wonderful God and Savior as you journey through this Advent season. Consider what a difference praise and thanksgiving can make in your Christmas experience.

 

 

Movement One: Purloined Praise

 

Scripture: Exodus 1-4

 

Heavy bricks. Raw hands. Aching backs. Straw dust. Sleep deprivation. Survival. Little reason for praise. For generations the Hebrews knew these things as their constant companions. Any reason for praise had been stolen (purloined) from them for centuries. God’s people were suffering terribly and for no other reason than they were alive and numerous.  They needed help.

 

In Exodus 3 we read that God sent Moses with a message. “So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians.” What a great thing to hear! At last, a word from Elohim the God of justice! He has heard! He is going to act! He will see them through!

 

God is the glorious God of mercy and justice. He does have compassion. He will see right done in his time. He is all about saving people from their troubles. In the book of Exodus we see how God performs his mighty work of justice, mercy and compassion for all those who would follow him.

 

We, the adopted descendants of  Moses, Aaron and Miriam, the orphans collected off of the pagan streets, the frazzled slaves of sin, know this through the marvelous work of Jesus Christ. This is the same God who called a group of slaves to be his own and, in a time when praise seemed impossible, gave them a future of praise.

 

God looks at you the same way he looked upon Moses, Aaron, Miriam and all of the Hebrew people.  He sees an individual and a people who need help and compassion.  He also invites us to be part of his great work in the world, to lead people to the Savior so that their stolen joy can be returned.

 

Points to Ponder

·         Read Acts 7:1-53 (a brief history of the Israelites as recounted by Stephen) and write down your observations of the kinds of things that stole points of praise from God’s people.

·         What kinds of things are weighing you down and stealing your joy right now?

·         Have you asked God for help in these things? If not, why not?

 

Prayer: Dear God, I need your help. I ask you to help me to return to a place of praise. Help me to see through the sorrows, sins and disappointments of this life to the kind of hope that I can seize hold of again. Return to me the joy of my salvation.  Amen

 

 

Movement Two: Postponed Praise

 

Scripture: Exodus 5-6:12

 

Chronic pain, long-term pain, never-ending pain—now those are ugly words. They cast a spell of gloom and torment, depression and resignation. We don’t want those kinds of things in our lives, do we? Neither did the Hebrews. For four hundred years they had been in slavery to the Egyptians. After four hundred years of brick-making, don’t you imagine the Hebrews would have just given up?  How many times does a person have to be beaten down by hard labor and cruel slave masters before they give up?

 

There is a reason human beings keep on going even in the face of what seems interminable pain—we have hope woven into our very being.  We were created in God’s image and he gives us his great and precious promises (2 Peter 1:4), so we bear within us this eternal hope that things can get better.

 

No matter how weary they became and no matter how many times they were beaten down, the Hebrews had hope in their hearts because of the promise God had made to their ancestors (Genesis 12:1-3). In the song “When You Believe” sung by the character of Miriam in the animated film “Prince of Egypt”, songwriters Kenneth Edmonds and Stephen Schwartz penned these wonderful words, “Though hope is frail, it is hard to kill.”  Even though outright praise had been postponed, this tiny flicker of hope could not be snuffed out because the eternal God of Goodness had made a promise to them.

 

Let us remember that our pain is temporary and if we do just as the Lord God has commanded us, as the Lord Jesus Christ has taught us, and as the Spirit of the Lord has enabled us, we will be able to praise God again.

 

Points to Ponder

·         Reflect on Proverbs 13:12. How has hope been deferred in your life?

·         Recall a time when it was difficult for you to praise. What did God do to get you beyond that?

·         What promises has God made to believers generally and to you personally?

·         Read Colossians 3:12-17. How can you help instill hope to those around you?

 

Prayer: Lord God, I thank you for what you are going to do for us in the future. By the power of the Holy Spirit I reach out to take hold of hope for me, for my family, for my church and for our world. Give me the long view—the eternal view—of your work in this world. Amen

 

 

Movement Three: Prelude to Praise--Part One

 

Scripture: Exodus 6:28-7:13

 

It’s going to get worse before it gets better. Have you ever had anyone tell you that before? This is something a doctor hints at. It is another reminder that pain can be temporary. If you have a tumor or a broken bone or an infected tooth, the doctor has to do something. He’s got to cause you more pain to get to the healing place. Doesn’t that seem odd? Recovery from surgery is no fun. But we enter into an agreement with the doctor that we will let him cut our skin, muscles and nerves, causing us pain, so that the pain and poor health conditions we are currently living with would be diminished, if not obliterated.

 

The Hebrews had a cancer—it was the cruel oppression of slave drivers. This cancer, this evil had to be dealt with in a war-like manner. But they also had something else. The Hebrews had God, the Creator of the Universe, the Sustainer of Life, the Merciful, Jehovah the Provider, the God of Covenant and Promise. God is all-powerful, all-mighty, all-strong and all-compassionate. He brought healing and restoration, hope and comfort, reclamation and strength for their journeys—even through the war of good versus evil.

 

With God, sometimes our path to freedom gets worse before it gets better. And Satan does not want to let us go. So he engages in great spiritual battle with God and with us for our souls. Then God, like a good surgeon who sees exactly what the problem is, also knows that sometimes the pain intensifies before it subsides.

 

Our God is all-powerful, all-mighty, all-strong and all-compassionate.  He brings to us healing and restoration, hope and comfort, reclamation and strength for our journey—even in the middle of the battle.

 

Points to Ponder

·         Where does your strength come from in the middle of your battles?

·         Do you need to rely more on your Savior?  If so, in what specific ways?

·         What kinds of weapons of righteousness do you use the most?

·         Reflect on Ephesians 6:10-20. What else could you employ as you wait for God’s victory?

 

Prayer: I thank you God for my battles. For without them I would not understand how great of a Savior you are. I ask you to give me a taste of the victory that can be ours. Help me to know that the pain that I experience now is not forever. Amen

 

 

Movement Four: Prelude to Praise--Part Two

 

Scripture: Exodus 7:14-11:10

 

There were ten plagues of Egypt, each topping the other until the final plague that touched even the household of the Pharaoh in a very personal way. God gave plenty of room and time for the Pharaoh to make the right decisions for his own people and for the Hebrews. Each plague was announced by Moses and Aaron prior to its arrival. Over and over again God gave Pharaoh the opportunity to change his mind. Imagine how different this would have all been if Pharaoh had acknowledged God! 

 

In the middle of all these plagues, the Hebrews suffered terribly as well. God spared them some of the plagues, but some of the others they had to endure. It certainly got worse before it got better. What a terrible night during that last plague! Making war with God guarantees sorrow.  

 

It got worse before it got better. In fact, it got really, really bad. What do you imagine the Hebrews were thinking during all of this?  What do you imagine the Egyptians were thinking?  There’s one thing that we know for certain. The Hebrews had God, the Creator of the Universe, the Sustainer of Life, the Merciful, Jehovah the Provider, the God of Covenant and Promise.

 

Indeed we suffer greatly at times—and many times not from things we ourselves have done. We suffer temporary pain from corrupt systems and bad leaders, from the sins of the world, and the sins of our parents. But we who believe have a promise from our God that our suffering leads us to release from captivity and into peace with him. We must always remember that even when war is raging in our bodies, in our culture, or in our spiritual world it is God who leads us into his great future.

 

Points to Ponder

·         What kind of impact has suffering had on your life?

·         In what ways has God sustained you during times of trouble?

·         Meditate on Psalm 116 and share with someone how God has helped you.

 

Prayer: Oh, God my Savior. Thank you for how you have helped me in the past. I pray today for your strength and comfort. Give this same strength and comfort to my neighbors who suffer as I have. Amen

 

 

Movement Five: Patterns for Praise

 

Scripture: Exodus 12:1-30. 

 

There are events in our lives that are important to remember. It is important for us to remember how God has delivered us. God knows this about us and he knows how quickly we forget. He is mindful of our humble condition. So when God sets up rituals and remembrances he does it so that we won’t forget his love and compassion.

 

God had given the Hebrews very specific directions to follow to avoid the troubles that the Egyptians experienced. The very specific directions God gave them not only helped them to avoid the pain of death, but prepared them to leave four centuries of Egyptian slavery, and more importantly, to remember his work on their behalf. The very specific directions incorporated the following:  readiness to go, a special type of meal and an offering or sacrifice of the most unique kind.

 

Readiness, for God, does not imply a state of being perfect, or being cleaned-up or being absolutely prepared for any contingency. It means you are willing to let him do what he is going to do and that you are willing to obey and follow despite your fears. Readiness is required for deliverance.

 

God initiated the Passover—a tradition of helping the Hebrews remember a great and decisive victory of God on behalf of his people. God described precisely why they were to celebrate. In verses 14 and 17 we see that the Hebrews were to celebrate “as a festival to the Lord” and to “celebrate God bringing them out.” In advance of their complete deliverance, God was setting up a time of remembrance for them. Before they took one step further they were to incorporate patterns of remembrance into their lifestyle and that would lead to praise.

 

Points to Ponder

Each one of us have Passover experiences in our lives.

·         How do we remember them? 

·         What do we tell our families and friends about these events? 

·         Do we tell them that the symbols that we have of our new life with God are far more than just symbols—that they are tangible reminders of God’s deliverance from terrible trouble?

·         How can you set up patterns for praise in the future?

 

Prayer: O Lord, my God, I remember today what you have done for me. Thank you for the symbols of our deliverance. Help me to teach others the importance of setting up patterns for praise in their lives.  Amen

 

 

Movement Six: Pursuit of Praise

 

Scripture: Exodus 13:17-14:31

 

The threat of death was all around the Hebrews. Behind them the Egyptian army raged toward them. On their right and on their left walls of water could have collapsed and thundered over them at any moment. And before them the narrow gap that they could see could collapse and destroy all hope. But this was God’s miracle of deliverance. And every one of the Hebrews passed through God’s miracle. As the last foot was planted on the opposite shore, they had the opportunity to pursue praise.

 

God kept his word! God did deliver the Hebrews—and with plunder. They piled so much stuff onto their carts and wheelbarrows that they had more than what they would need for provision ahead! The 600,000 men, besides women and children, literally walked out of slavery and crossed an impassible sea on dry ground! Not one sword or whip touched their skin. That is something worth remembering!

 

You have been given many opportunities to look back and see the times and ways that God has delivered you. How do we know this? It is because you are reading this right now. If it were not for God and his great power and mercy you would have been destroyed multiple times. God’s grace and his power are eternally linked together. Over and over again he has offered the strength of his right arm to you, the deliverance from enemies, the miracles and spiritual armor that keep you from ultimate harm.

 

We should respond the very same way the Israelites did.  And when the Israelites saw the great power the LORD displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant. (Exodus 14:31)

 

Points to Ponder

·         What is your life like now because of God’s saving work?

·         How are you now behaving in light of God’s saving work? 

·         Do you need to refresh your memory, repeat some patterns that lead to praise?

·         How should we respond to his great demonstrations of love and power? 

 

Prayer: Oh, God! Let me pursue praise instead of despair; thanksgiving instead of disappointment; rejoicing instead of grumbling. I want to praise you the rest of my life. Free my lips to praise you more! Amen

 

 

Movement Seven: Promoting Praise

 

Scripture:  Exodus 15:1-21

 

Now the Hebrews truly knew the reasons for unbridled praise! They sang and danced for they had been redeemed! The whole nation rejoiced. Why would they not do so? Four-hundred years of oppression had been obliterated. The oppressors had been completely stopped by God’s mighty right arm. Nature had been deployed on their behalf. Fire, cloud and water were the defensive weapons of their Savior.

 

Moses’ voice range out, “I will sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted.” And then, as one voice, the entire nation joined in! They had everything to celebrate. This was their very personal God and he deserved their very personal, individual and corporate praise. The moment was ripe for praise. “The Lord is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him.”

 

They retraced all of the events together, singing of the sure victory provided by their God.  Aaron, Miriam, their families, their cousins and their neighbors raised their voices in adulation. No one else could have provided such a deliverance! He was most worthy of their praise.

 

And then Miriam picked up a tambourine and delighted the Lord with praise that could not be constrained to just her voice. Her entire being was employed to praise God. She took Moses’ phrase of personal rejoicing and turned it into an exhortation for her people. There was still more singing to be done!  “Sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted. Both horse and driver he has hurled into the sea.”

 

Remember what God has done for you, your family, your church and your world. You need to sing to the Lord for he is indeed highly exalted! Write a song to God, declare it publicly, rejoice with your whole being! Lead your people in praising God for what he has done!

 

Points to Ponder:

·         Have you written down God’s victories in your life? Do so in detail thanking him at every word.

·         Have you shared these with other—even the “old victories”?

·         Read Psalm 118 standing up, out loud and with gusto—in front of your Bible Study, family or during your personal devotional time. What did it feel like to praise God in such a way?

·         Sing your favorite praise song as loud as you can and from the depths of your heart.

 

Prayer: Oh, God, you are my God and I praise you today. May my life be filled with praise and thanksgiving to you for all that you have done and all that you will do. I use every fiber of my being to give you praise so that others may join me in the celebration. Amen

 

© M.R.Hyde 2024

 

New poetry collections by M.R. Hyde now available at Lulu.com and other fine retailers.

 

 

Psalm 23 - A Slow Feast in a Fast-Food World

Due to circumstances beyond my control, I was unable to spend time preparing for our next lesson in Hebrews.  So, in the meantime I pulled an old sermon out that just might be the right thing to focus on as we head in to the new year.  Let's pull back from the holiday mania and hectic regular life to reflect on the beauty of God as our Shepherd.

Next week we will return to our study in the book of Hebrews.

Happy New Year!

A Slow Feast in a Fast-Food World

What if God had a car? What if he had to drive around all day trying to get everything done? I can imagine that he would have a huge stack of papers in the seat next to him, boxes to deliver in the back, a trunk full of clothes for the poor and a trailer full of food to deliver.

If God is anything like me (and we all must be grateful he’s not!) living in this fractured society ruled by the clock and the calendar, then he would probably be dashing in and out of places, stopping to get gas, hoping he'll make it here and there on time.  And, oh my, we've got to eat somewhere sometime. So we dash through a drive-in restaurant anxious to get on with what needs to happen next.

It seems like much of our popular culture revolves around how fast we can get places, how much we can get accomplished in the shortest amount of time, and hoping others don’t get in our way. Scurry, hurry we'd better get going or we might miss another deadline! If I don't have time to catch up with you in person, I can quickly use the digital world or I can leave a message on your voice mail.

American urban culture seems to be trapped in this endless need to see more, do more and get more. In order to accomplish this we are driven to distraction. Life seems to come in short bursts of many, many things.  So, here's a ridiculous little poem I wrote in an attempt to capture an urban culture life.

Psalm 22.5

A Psalm of a Frantic Sheep

I've got to get me life done and get it done quick.

I constantly clamor for what I need and should quit.

I cannot rest now because there is so much to do

So, I’ll go through the drive-through and grab a burritoo.

I'm always tired and often run off the road.

People wonder how I make it - it's because I've been towed!

Nothing ever goes wrong, but when it does

I just ignore the signs and get another Diet-coke buzz.

Most of the time I’m afraid and feel quite alone.

But I don't let anyone know it 'cause there's much to be done.

I've got to get through this traffic no matter what,

I feel dry in my soul, as if nothing is there—but,

I've just got to keep moving and chasing my dreams.

I've only got one life and you know what that means!

I’ve got to grab all I can because everyone else is.

And I buy into that I-can-only-count-on-myself biz.

So, here is my motto for life on the run,

"Eat, drink and be merry—quick!—because soon I’ll be done!"

There's something about a poem that catches our attention. A poem capsulizes a moment, a mood or a memory. Poetry exists in every culture and presents and memorializes the human experience. Poems can be funny, furious or profound. They draw us to themselves because for one moment of reading we can see the world in a very unique and open way.

In our great Judeo-Christian history we were gifted with a marvelous poet. He was one of the finest poets in Jewish history. And his words ring true for all humanity. We experience love, joy, rage, disappointment, wonder, humility, sorrow and exuberance through his poetry.  This man's name was David, the shepherd/musician who became king of God's people. His story echoes with the reality that he was "a man after God's own heart." His life is testimony of how God can and will help the humble to become mighty, how God will humble the mighty if their actions become selfish, and one who constantly turns to God can lead a nation in war, weariness, and worship. I challenge you to read about David's life this week in 1 and 2 Samuel. I guarantee you that you will find a story of truthfulness and God's grace and power.

It is out of this story that David wrote seveny-three of the Psalms we now find in the Bible. Although many of his Psalms are obviously written for corporate worship, many of them are raw expressions of human experience with God and others. He was an honest man, as well as a premiere worship leader and king. For centuries now people have gleaned comfort and encouragement from his poems.

Let's try to understand the context for today's Scripture. Certainly the 23^rd Psalm was composed while David sat as king over Israel. I don't know how we can comprehend the demands of a king, but perhaps we could try it this way. When we see the United States President on television, what do we see? He is a world leader at every turn of his life. I doubt if he is ever truly alone. Security guards and journalists are always at his elbow. Advisors and lobbyists must be knocking on his door by day, and military and crisis personnel knocking on his door at night. I cannot imagine the kind of pressures that exists for a man in his position. The trade and employment markets rise and fall based on what he says or does. There are people who hate him and people who love him. There are people who would try to kill him and malign his work. And there are people who would put words into his mouth to make him appear one way or another.  This is the kind of lifestyle that David the king of Israel was leading. He was a victorious and powerful military leader. He made choices about which nations to attack and which nations to help. Great festivals and feasts were created to honor him and align his allies. God gave him incredible wisdom and fortitude for all the troubles he faced. Alliances to sabotage his leadership fell apart because he clung to God his Helper. The poor, the widows and the orphans were taken care of because of the godly compassion he had in his heart. Israel's enemies were dealt with swiftly and decisively as God directed him. It would be easy to set David up on a cloud as a demi-god if it were not for the honest reporting of his life, his failures and his poetry.  He was very much like you and me. And even in his position of power and prestige he needed God desperately.

Imagine with me a cool summer night. David comes to his private chambers exhausted by the demands of his day. He has signed law, he has listened to debate, he has honored a leader in the community, he also received news of a possible opposition attack, and his family has been threatened again. There are before him tomorrow difficult decisions. He is weary to the bone.

He sits heavily in chair by a candle in the great, dark room. He takes a deep breath and begins to remember the days of his youth when he was just a shepherd, a simple shepherd sitting under the stars. How nice and plain life in those years. And then God says to him, "David, I am your Shepherd."  The quill pen lifts again and David writes one of the most magnificent poems of Biblical literature.

The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

He makes me lie down in green pastures,

he leads me beside quiet waters,

he refreshes my soul.

He guides me along the right paths

for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk

through the darkest valley,

I will fear no evil,

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.

Surely your goodness and love will follow me

all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

~Psalm 23

We have come to know this as the Shepherd's Psalm, but I rather like to think of it as the sheep's Psalm. In this moment of poetic beauty we see God from the eyes of a weary, frantic little sheep.

The Lord is my shepherd. In our urban environment it may be difficult for some of us to understand the role of the shepherd. But the shepherd watched over and cared for the sheep 24/7.  His every thought was for their safety, food and shelter.

Jesus describes himself as the Good Shepherd and here is how his job description fell out in John 10:11-18.

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again.” This reality about God is what David was absorbing and comprehending when he wrote his wonderful poem. He had a great Shepherd of his soul who was for him 24/7!

In one of the classic forms of Hebrew poetry Psalm 23 starts out with a great statement and the rest of the poem affirms that statement and graphically illustrates it as it builds to a great crescendo.  Here is how the Lord was David’s shepherd.

I lack nothing.  In other words, I have everything I need.  I don't have to scramble for it or scurry around. The Shepherd has already looked ahead and made sure my provisions are there. If we just stop and look around we will find everything we need. Sometimes we get so caught up in how things are going to be provided that we forget that God has already promised to provide it! David needed to re-learn what he found in the fields as a shepherd—every good thing comes from God in his perfect timing.

He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters . . . Sheep are kind of dumb. They are not smart like elephants, hyenas or lions. They need to be told where to go and what is best for them. Sheep will graze on thistles when a green field is nearby. They have to be directed where to go by a shepherd's nudge with his rod and sometimes with the quick and goad, a stinging thistle-laden staff applied to their hindquarters.  Did you know that a thirsty sheep will put its nose into a rushing river so deep that the force of the water will sweep it away? Don't you think the sheep would put two and two together?  Rushing river (force greater than me) + thick woolen head able to be pulled into the river = drowning sheep.  Let’s put it another way.  God says, don't get drunk on wine and don't covet. We promptly go out and get drunk on wine and spend our credit cards up to the limit to get what our neighbor has already bought by spending their credit cards up to the limit! And then we woefully wonder why our lives are a wreck. It might be wise to admit it—we’re dumb sheep. We need a good Shepherd!  And de's standing right here offering us the good places to be and the good things to have—if we'll just follow his voice.

He refreshes my soul.  God is in the business of restoring, rebuilding and renewing. When we have spent our breath, when our bodies are wracked with pain from overwork, when our words come out all discombobulated because we haven't had enough sleep, when we're not thinking straight because we've had too much caffeine in order to keep going . . .that's when the Good Shepherd says, "Let's sit down for a while. If you read my Word it will encourage you. I will give you wisdom if you ask me for it. Slow down for a minute or two and let me take care of your soul."   That's what God loves to do for us. He knows us too well to think that we can regenerate our own souls. It is the life-giving Word of God and his presence that brings healing like fresh spring water.

He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. I can imagine as a king or president one of the greatest temptations would be to try to make a name for myself. Some people take paths simply because it will get them into the history books. But these people are shown for what they are—self-centered, self-righteous, disingenuous people. When there is a greater purpose outside of ourselves our paths are made straight and true. And although each of us cannot claim absolutely pure motives for all the things we do, when we take the paths that will honor God and in his name we will have much firmer roads to walk on and our fulfillment will be abundant.

Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Have you ever had a near accident and then stopped suddenly and looked back at the incident? It is astonishing and unnerving to think through what could have happened. It's in those kinds of moments that you realize that Someone with far greater power than your own can guide you through dangerous places.

And it is also true in those moments of deep grief or when you are faced with the likelihood of something like cancer that the Shepherd's touch and his wonderful voice brings comfort and hope you would never dream was possible. That shadow may be dark, but the Shepherd is near.  When we cannot see our own way through, he uses his tools—his kind voice, the rod that can beat back an enemy and the staff with the gentle strong curve that can pull us out of trouble.

The next part of the Psalm is one of my favorites.  Imagine with me that King David has called for a great banquet. He decides to go to the great hall early. People are busily decorating and setting the tables.  In the distance he can hear the clatter and banging in the kitchen. The aroma of wonderful food comes wafting down the hallway. He knows that his cooks are going to outdo themselves tonight. 

As he stands to the side, he sees some of the guests arrive a bit early, in the ancient tradition of the East the greeters present aromatic oils to the guests for their skin and hair. The Eastern sun and winds are harsh and to honor a guest is to care for their body as well as their stomach. More guests begin to arrive and they are presented with oils as well, and then they are seated.

King David decides that it is an appropriate time to enter into the festivities. His assistants rush to bring him the finest of aromatic oils and they themselves pour it on him as a sign of honor—for oil is not only for bodily care but the sign and symbol of someone anointed by God.

As his loyal servants bring him food and drink, King David looks around the room. It is a slow and happy feast He is surrounded by friends and family. Laughter runs around the table like a small child at a picnic. This is a good place to be.

As David looks around at his guests, he sees something else that it true. Ah yes, there is the man who not more than two years ago declared that he would kill David with his bare hands. And there, there are the three who led a rebellion to depose him as King last year. And yes, the old scoundrel, the one with the broadest smile and the darkest heart has put himself as near the king's seat as he can. And in the midst of this David senses the very presence of God.

You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my enemies.

You anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.

I don't think that David imagined that he deserved any of this royal treatment. He knew that it was because of God's love and God's choice that his heart was full to overflowing, even while he ate with some of his enemies.  I imagine God standing behind David, one great hand on his shoulder and another great hand wrapped around the rod reminding the dark enemies that God himself will defend David. I wonder if the enemies could sense God there? Perhaps not, because they were blinded by their sin. But David knew it. He knew that the Lord was his Shepherd.

Then with the greatest of assurance David penned the wonderful words that are true for all those whose hearts are hard after God.

Surely your goodness and love will follow me

all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

You see, this is the promise of a Shepherd to his sheep—24/7, 365 days a year as long as we live. Always with us, always providing for us, always looking out for us, always defending us, always loving us.

Did you know that the Lord is your Shepherd? Why don't we all get out of our hectic-life cars, turn the engines off. We'll walk across a green pasture where God has good things laid out for us and just buckets of fresh spring water. Let's rest and be restored in his wonderful light, knowing that whatever comes our way—pleasant or difficult—his great hand is resting on our shoulder and there are good days ahead.

The Lord is our Shepherd!

Amen

Copyright M.R. Hyde