A Table Prepared Psalms 23:5

Thou preparest a table for me in the presence of mine enemies.


The table here represents a table at the top of a mountain where the shepherd will take his sheep in the spring of the year to spend the summer. There is a certain amount of preparation that the shepherd has to make in order to make the table safe and suitable for the sheep for the stay for the summer.

The shepherd has to make sure that there are no poisonous plants on the plateau. He has to check to see where the best places are to make camp and to prepare a plan to move from one place to another so the sheep get the maximum benefit from the grazing areas. The table has to be checked for predators and trapped if necessary.

Sheep will try anything. They will eat anything. As individuals, we are the same way. We test and sample things many times knowing what we are doing is wrong or not beneficial to the quality of our lives. However, we do it anyway. God watches over our lives like a shepherd would his flock. He tries to guide us from the danger that is in front of us. He knows where the danger is and He knows where the best places on the table are located for our maximum benefit. Jesus said I have come that you might have life and that you might have it more abundantly. God has indeed prepared a table before us in the presence of all of the evil influences that surround us.

There is one other thing that we need to remember. The closer that we remain to our Shepherd, the safer we are. The sheep that fall victim to the predators are the sheep that have wandered away from the flock and are walking in territory away from the watchful eye of the shepherd. We are always under the watchful eye of our Lord, but when we are not walking in His presence and making decision that He has given us instruction, we are away from His permissive ability to guard our lives as he has planned for us. There are benefits to walking in the footsteps that He has given us to walk. However, there are dangers when we step out of those footsteps and go in the direction that we want to go in.

We need to walk with the Lord one decision at a time and give Him the opportunity to do for us as He so much wants to do! The table is prepared; it is our responsibility to walk there and not stray everywhere else!