Day Five - In the Presence of my enemies … My cup overflows.
Today’s verse is one of my most precious favorites, as well as one of my most difficult challenges, with the twenty third Psalm. This is one of those devotions with so many feelings, it runs a little long, so grab a cup of coffee and read it knowing I prayed over these words and your heart as you receive them.
“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” - Psalm 23:5 (NIV)
My precious friend Betsy sent the song, “Defender” to me a good while back. I have shared this before, so I won’t repeat myself. But Betsy knew Terry and I were dealing with some evil people doing some evil things. Betsy knew I would love the song. She was so right. The lyrics, “You go before I know that You’ve even gone to win my war. You come back with the head of my enemy. You come back and You call it my victory…” (Defender, written by Rita Springer and Steffany Gretzinger).
When we deal with evil and enemies, God has already gone before us and He won the war. He loves His children and He is faithful, over and over and over. We do not have to worry about our enemies. God is preparing a table before us in the presence of our enemies. He’s got us. There is such tremendous comfort in His promises to avenge evil. (Again, just read through the Psalms if you need a reminder).
The second part of today’s verse; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows shows us the humility and grace of our Shepherd King.
I was taught years ago, a shepherd applied oil to the sheep’s head for two reasons. The first, to repel insects. The second, to treat wounds. Anointing someone’s head with oil was also a customary treatment of an honored guest. My bible references Luke 7:46, “You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet.” This was when the Pharisees invited Jesus to dinner and did not anoint His head with oil, but a prostitute came in, poured perfume on Jesus’ feet and wept as His feet, and wiped His feet with her tears and her hair.
What a picture of humility and serving our Savior, literally at His feet.
But the last part of today’s verse is what elicits tears, every single time.
“...my cup overflows.”
For so many years when I think about or look at Michala, I cry as I think, “My cup runneth over/overflows.” I have done absolutely nothing in this life to deserve a child like Michala. And yet, God allowed me to be her mother. Even when times are difficult, I can count way more blessings than I can trials.
One morning a few months ago, Michala texted Terry and me and said as she was up studying into the wee hours of the morning, she began thinking of us and praying for us. She wrote to me, “You and Dad are so stressed and overwhelmed with so much on your plates, but like you always say, your cup runneth over.”
Even in the midst of trials and turmoil; heartache and tragedies, when we have a Kingdom mindset, we can say our cups overflow.
Especially during times like now; when our health is at risk, when people we know are fighting cancer and cannot afford the risk of going for treatments, because the coronavirus is so frightening; our Kingdom mindset reminds us this is all temporary. When Jesus comes back for us, there will be no more enemies. As Pastor Steve reminds us, “The serpent will be no more!” But we have hope today in knowing “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” - Psalm 23:5 (NIV)
Our Shepherd King provides for us. Our Shepherd King guides us. Our Shepherd King comforts us so we fear no evil. Our Shepherd King is with us. Our Shepherd King prepares a table before us in the presence of our enemies. Our Shepherd King anoints our heads with oil. Our Shepherd King’s sacrifice for us makes our cups overflow.