you prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies
Do you have enemies? An enemy?
Some may say yes and others of you, no. I suspect that the longer you live perhaps the more likely you are to have someone in your life who might consider you an enemy, whether it be justified or not. I have known friends who have had people who call them enemies because they stand firmly for what is true and good. You would think this would not gather you enemies, but perhaps we might need to think again.
We all have enemies, one leading enemy. The one who comes to steal, kill, and destroy. I began reading a bit of The Screwtape Letters this past week and its words remind you that we have an enemy who is scheming against us, wanting us to be far from the good and beautiful life found in Christ. He wants to distract us, fool us, numb us, hurt us into isolation from our Shepherd. And he will use any tacic necessary.
This week as I read this line I immediatly thought of one enemy in my life: shame. Shame is something I have often struggled with and something my Shepherd is correcting and guiding me away from. It is a tactic clearly used by the enemy to keep my mind from the good and beautiful life. How could it not be? This morning as I read my Bible, a moment from eight years ago came into my mind in which I acted not immorrally but awkwardly and I was beset with shame. Where could that have come from? Within a few minutes I knew and prayed against the schemes and for truth.
The hope of eternity is a hope that promises us no more of this life being schemed against. It is a hope that one day Jesus will say, "Enough is enough" and he will come and destroy every tactic working against us, the enemy who is not flesh and blood but wants us to make enemies against flesh and blood. He will prepare a table before this enemy and we will experience ultimate honor and freedom from this bondage we experience now as humans living in a fallen world.
And we get taste of this now. We get a taste of this table when we experience freedom here from this bondage. When the sin we had struggled with for so long loosens its grip by the power of our Shepherd. When the shame we feel is replaced with truth and honor. When we are able to resist the schemes of the enemy and walk in the pasture of our King.
A table is set for us. May we eat and drink of it. May we taste of its sweetness and may we keep coming back to the table knowing one even grander is waiting.
The Lord is my shepherd [to feed, to guide, and to shield me],
I shall not want.
He lets me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside still and quiet waters.
He refreshes and restores my soul (life);
He leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Even though I walk through the [sunless] valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil, for you are with me;
Your rod [to protect] and your staff [to guide], they comfort and console me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You have anointed and refreshed my head with oil;
My cup overflows.
Surely mercy and goodness and unfailing love shall follow me all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell forever [throughout all my days] in the house and in the presence of the Lord.
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