"Raise your cup" Psalm 23:5
5. '"Thou prepares a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou aniontest my head with oil; My cup runneth over."
Well I have to admit, this day is a difficult one for me to write. I don't know if it's because I still have a hard time believing it, or if I feel that I don't deserve it. Let's move forward and see where only He can take us.
God prepares us a table right before me and for me, yet He prepares it in the same place as my enemies. First, let me stop here and note, did you ever notice how many references there are to food in the bible? I love food, so He is always speaking my language. I was also thinking, when was the last time you tried to sit and eat, a feast none the less, while your enemies were present? I would have a hard time eating, because my mind, heart and head would be in three different places, which would make my stomach split in three as well. My stomach hurts just thinking about it. Ok, now let's move on.
This passage tells us that He not only will give us all we want to eat and more, He will anoint us with oil. Back in the Old Testament, the mention of anointing with oil was for the High Priest, his descendants, and the Tabernacle. It's purpose was to set it apart as holy. Wow, did you hear that, if we have accepted Christ in our lives, then we too are set apart. That just blows me away.
The next part says "my cup runneth over". This may be the most difficult part. When I read this verse and see what He has for me and my life, I get overwhelmed with joy, then I wake up. Let's face it, it's hard to think spiritually when everywhere you turn there is more turmoil, heartache and bad news. I'm just being honest here. Today is the 11th anniversary of the death of my cousin. Tracy was a brilliant young woman with so much to offer. She was not only a talented singer, but she also was intelligent, she graduated with an excellerated masters at Case Western University.
Eleven years ago, she headed out on her morning run and was hit by a car. Unfortunately, the man did not just leave her and her few broken bones there to be found by someone, he drug her many yards past past a wooded area into an open field. She was left face down in a puddle, drowning.
So as I sit here, remembering that day, my heart hurts for the ones left. Her mother who does all she can to even look at the cup. Her sister who holds the cup so close, yet believes she doesn't deserve to drink from it. And her dad, who was also her running partner, passes that cup just as the ones he passes in the beginning of a marathon.
Thinking back to the beginning of this verse, it speaks of Gods goodness to us in the presence of our enemies. Since we will have no enemies in heaven(Revelation 19, God is speaking to us now. We need to learn joy now. We all have tragedy, and sadness in our lives, but God can do amazing things with our hurt if we let Him.
I will thank God for the healing He has already done in my life. And I will thank Him for the ability to have joy, a spiritual joy while living amongst turmoil. So let's pick up those cups and toast an amazing God, who is able and ready to heal and help us have joy!
Well I have to admit, this day is a difficult one for me to write. I don't know if it's because I still have a hard time believing it, or if I feel that I don't deserve it. Let's move forward and see where only He can take us.
God prepares us a table right before me and for me, yet He prepares it in the same place as my enemies. First, let me stop here and note, did you ever notice how many references there are to food in the bible? I love food, so He is always speaking my language. I was also thinking, when was the last time you tried to sit and eat, a feast none the less, while your enemies were present? I would have a hard time eating, because my mind, heart and head would be in three different places, which would make my stomach split in three as well. My stomach hurts just thinking about it. Ok, now let's move on.
This passage tells us that He not only will give us all we want to eat and more, He will anoint us with oil. Back in the Old Testament, the mention of anointing with oil was for the High Priest, his descendants, and the Tabernacle. It's purpose was to set it apart as holy. Wow, did you hear that, if we have accepted Christ in our lives, then we too are set apart. That just blows me away.
The next part says "my cup runneth over". This may be the most difficult part. When I read this verse and see what He has for me and my life, I get overwhelmed with joy, then I wake up. Let's face it, it's hard to think spiritually when everywhere you turn there is more turmoil, heartache and bad news. I'm just being honest here. Today is the 11th anniversary of the death of my cousin. Tracy was a brilliant young woman with so much to offer. She was not only a talented singer, but she also was intelligent, she graduated with an excellerated masters at Case Western University.
Eleven years ago, she headed out on her morning run and was hit by a car. Unfortunately, the man did not just leave her and her few broken bones there to be found by someone, he drug her many yards past past a wooded area into an open field. She was left face down in a puddle, drowning.
So as I sit here, remembering that day, my heart hurts for the ones left. Her mother who does all she can to even look at the cup. Her sister who holds the cup so close, yet believes she doesn't deserve to drink from it. And her dad, who was also her running partner, passes that cup just as the ones he passes in the beginning of a marathon.
Thinking back to the beginning of this verse, it speaks of Gods goodness to us in the presence of our enemies. Since we will have no enemies in heaven(Revelation 19, God is speaking to us now. We need to learn joy now. We all have tragedy, and sadness in our lives, but God can do amazing things with our hurt if we let Him.
I will thank God for the healing He has already done in my life. And I will thank Him for the ability to have joy, a spiritual joy while living amongst turmoil. So let's pick up those cups and toast an amazing God, who is able and ready to heal and help us have joy!