You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. Psalm 23:5 (NKJV)

Enemies, wine and presence – Psalm 23 Series – Part 3

Go to  PART 1  |  PART 2  |  PART 3  |  PART 4

One of the warning signs that I’m feeling stressed and anxious is that I forget to eat. Although, sometimes it goes the other way; I forget to think about what I’m eating… and before I know it, I’m elbow deep in potato chips and chocolate coated almonds. When in the presence of our enemies (let's remember that although it seems that some people are our enemy, they can be under the influence of our true foes: fear, hatred, greed, lust and more: enemies of the soul) the first thing that usually happens is that our capacity to be “present” in that moment dissipates.

God doesn’t just show up in the midst of our trouble and fear, he somehow manages to make sure we’re fed good and proper in the middle of it all too. Present and focused. If you have the ‘presence’ of mind to eat while in the presence of your enemies, you won’t be overrun by adrenaline or fear. In this Psalm, David describes God as going all out. It’s wasn’t a quick meal; eat the bare essentials while running from the enemy. It was a sit-down, gourmet, best meal of your life kind-of feast. A feast you want to be ‘present' at and enjoy.

Jesus was at a wedding in Cana when late into the celebrations, they ran out of wine. In a culture that centred around hospitality and generous celebration, it was shameful to run out of wine (or food) while proceedings were still going. After a conversation with his mother and the disciples, Jesus turned 6 stone jars of water into wine. And not just any wine, this was top shelf, incredible, amazing wine. The best they had ever tasted.

In both instances, God could have gotten away with doing something smaller.

A quick meal while hiding or running from the enemy in Psalm 23 would have sufficed. I would have been thankful for that. And ANY wine for the wedding at Cana would have been a godsend! (literally). But each time, God overflowed with abundance and extravagance. Showing us that our ability to be present and joyful is not dependent on our circumstances.

I know you have been through hard times and are maybe going through them still. Me too. I wouldn’t wish some of the things that have happened to me on ANYONE. But something happens during those seasons. The divine weaves his love and grace into the picture in such a way that when you look back, there’s a beauty to it all that takes your breath away (The movie Inside Out anyone?). There’s a depth that wasn’t there before, rare and priceless wisdom too. You learn to breathe deeper, love longer and hope more keenly than before. You develop the ability to stop, sit and eat no matter what you’re facing. I don’t want to give back what I’ve learned, what God has unearthed in me… the feast he prepared for me and the wine he has miraculously provided for me. It’s a grace that I treasure.

God doesn’t want us to settle for water when he can give us the elixir of life. And this elixir is not dependent on our circumstances. Just as it happened to Jesus on the cross, God divinely takes the deaths that take place in our lives and unites them with resurrection. He brings together the natural and the supernatural, the pain and the joy, the suffering and the peace, the loss and the wisdom and brings heaven to earth right there in the middle of it all. Even in the presence of our enemies.

Thank God for your enemy and your deep hunger (Psalm 23), thank God for running out of wine (John 2); how else would we taste the depth of his mercy, love, faithfulness and grace?

“You become my delicious feast even when my enemies dare to fight. You anoint me with the fragrance of your Holy Spirit; You give me all I can drink of you until my heart overflows.” Psalm 23:5 (TPT)

OVER TO YOU… leave us a comment below!

Go to Part 4 – Responsive not Perfect »
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