6. ENJOY THE FEAST: A LOOK AT PSALM 23

THIS SERIES: WHEN IT'S GOOD TO CHANGE YOUR MIND

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies
[Psalm 23:5]
​

I love hosting family celebrations, times round the table with good food, laughter and sharing in the presence of God. All our offspring are invited; they are included because they bear our name, our DNA—and because they are loved. It doesn’t matter what sort of a week they’ve had, successful or otherwise; their accomplishments or the amount in their bank accounts do not provide the entrance pass, they come because they already belong.

Our young grandchildren also come to our feasts, with varying degrees of understanding of the relationships represented, the significance of the gathering, or an appreciation of the good things on the table; but I believe they all know in their child-hearts that they are cocooned in love; that they are beautiful and that they are accepted—not because of their achievements, as wonderful as they are—but because they are part of us.

The Lord has prepared a feast. He has set the table and furnished it with a banquet, and the powers of darkness have to stand and watch you eat it! You are a guest at a table specially prepared for you; and the Lord pours down grace upon your head: where you were separated from God, you have been redeemed; where you were covered with sin, you have been cleansed and forgiven; where you were a slave, you have been set free; where you were on the outside looking in, you are included; where you were insecure and insignificant, you are chosen; where you were an orphan, you are His child.

You are invited to His feast, not because of what you have achieved today, this week or this year; you are invited because, through Jesus, you have become part of His family. You belong.

​Now I can prepare my family feast, but my family have to show up; they have sit at the table and eat. If they sit apart and ignore the bounty, all my loving preparation will be rendered useless. So it is with us. Our Lord has paid such an incredible price so we can feast at His table. Let’s laugh in the face of the enemy and enjoy the banquet.

​Let’s declare these truths over ourselves. (To understand more about why it’s important to do this, see the first blog post in this series, and The Power of the Spoken Word.)

• I was separated from God, now I am redeemed
• I was covered with sin, now I am cleansed and forgiven
• I was a slave, now I have been set free
• I was once on the outside looking in, now I am included in the party
• I once felt insecure, and insignificant, now I am chosen by God
• I once felt like an orphan, now I am His child and part of His family

You can find more on the amazing blessings Jesus has purchased for us on the Cross on The Power of the Cross page

THIS WEEK’S GRACE RHYTHM

Take time to make the declarations above.
Read (or listen to) the resources on The Power of the Cross page.
​Make up your own declarations, based on the truths you find there.

NEXT WEEK:​ 7. SMEARED WITH OIL
You anoint my head with oil [Psalm 23:5]
As well as being used for anointing of priests and kings, oil also had many uses in everyday life, and it’s these that are the focus of David’s statement... 

PASS IT ON

​If you have been blessed, inspired or challenged by this post…

• Please get in touch (see top sidebar) or make a comment (below left)
• Please share it with others (see sidebar)

[Photo credits:  Jimmy Dean (family);  James Lee (birds)   @ Unsplash, with thanks]