Matt DeBord serves as pastor of First Baptist Church, Clanton. He holds a master of divinity degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. DeBord also served as a pastor in Louisiana and Mississippi before coming to Alabama. He and his wife, Kay, have two children.
Did you notice who has shown up in our time of distress to prepare, anoint and provide? It is the Lord Himself, our Shepherd. How many times as a child did we fall and in pain need care? Mom or Dad would burst in and rescue us. Certainly we appreciated the washed wounds, medication and bandages. But instant comfort and peace came when in their arms we heard, “Everything’s going to be alright. I’ve got you.” When suffering spiritually, there is nothing like hearing our Shepherd’s voice, experiencing His embrace and knowing He’s got us. He can handle it, whatever it is. Thank you, Jesus.
Imagine the table God prepares. We have food galore at Thanksgiving. What a shame when a family member misses out. Yet the greater tragedy is to miss out on all that God has prepared for His children. Indeed, “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Cor. 2:9).
But “can God prepare a table in the wilderness?” (Ps. 78:19). People often ask, “God, where are You? Why did You let this happen?” But nothing has caught Him by surprise.
God provides
During Israel’s wilderness wanderings, God provided water from the rock and quail for the entire nation. Who can forget the table Jesus provided for the 5,000 simply from five loaves and two fish? What about spiritually? Who can forget the table God provided with the bread (body) and wine (blood) at Calvary? What a table of sacrifice, provision, forgiveness, hope, abundance and life. Thank you, Jesus.
We often wonder when our enemies will be put in their place but we are to “wait for the Lord, and keep His way … when the wicked are cut off, you will see it” (Ps. 37:34). God will straighten all things out. But for the present time, as oil was used to bring about refreshment and healing from the parching heat of the sun, the oil of the Holy Spirit heals and refreshes our spirit that we might be revived following pressing times. Thank you, Jesus.
“My cup” refers to the contents of one’s life. David said, “The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and my cup” (Ps. 16:5). To say “my cup runneth over” means God’s blessings are too many to contain. Don’t miss noticing all the blessings scattered around us. This reminds me of Mr. Fisher’s coffee cup. Mr. Fisher was our church custodian when I was a teenager and we became friends. Every morning Mr. Fisher would fill his cup and head to his next site of cleaning. The only problem was that with his age his hands were shaky and his walk wobbly, so he spilled coffee everywhere he went. However, you could always find him. All you had to do was follow the coffee drops on the floor along the wall against which he leaned to help balance himself.
What are we leaving in our path? We may be physically strong and steady, but we all get our emotions and spirits bumped along the way by temptations and trials and whatever is on the inside splatters out. What kind of trail are we leaving for those behind us? Let it be the presence of Christ they encounter; His “goodness and mercy,” His character and grace.
For those of us who knew and loved Mr. Fisher, his coffee stains were easily tolerated. But what about us? Is what we are leaving in our path worth someone else picking up and adding to their life, or is it just one more thing that needs to be cleaned up? May that which spills out of us be the blessings of Christ others can pick up, carry with them and spill over again on someone else. The ripple effect will bring glory to God as people say, “Thank you, Jesus.”
“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Ps. 23:6).
Predators always lurk hoping to pick off wanderers from the fold. But when we walk by the side of our Shepherd, we have a rear guard. When we glance behind in apprehension, fearing some spiritual wolf is in hot pursuit, what we see gives us peace and security — God’s goodness and mercy. And the sight of the house of the Lord ahead leaves the struggles of earthly life melting in a distant memory.
The word “surely” here gives victory over the insufficient “I hope so.” It is a conviction of faith, trusting in the Person of Christ and His finished work on the cross. Now this does not mean Christians never have trials. We simply have backup. When we call, God’s goodness and mercy are already there. Thank you, Jesus.
Exposed to the elements
As a shepherd David may have had a tent or a cave at times, but often he simply lived exposed to the elements. Christians encounter exposure to spiritual elements that would render us ineffective were it not for the help of Christ. Oh to think we will dwell in the house of the Lord forever, no longer exposed to the elements of spiritual darkness. What a relief. What a reason to be thankful.
David said, “I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God” (Ps. 84:10), than have this world’s riches. And we will do more than just stand at the entrance. We will enter to live there forever.
“How lovely are Thy dwelling places, O Lord of hosts … How blessed are those who dwell in Thy house. They are ever praising Thee” (Ps. 84:1, 4). “Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest” (Heb. 4:11), when we will again shout and say, “Thank you, Jesus.”
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