Let’s break from our Joshua series, long enough to give thanks. I love Thanksgiving. The food, family and friends. Gathering around the table and eating far more than one person should eat. It’s great.
One of my favorite things is setting the table. Not just at Thanksgiving, but any time we are about to have a meal. I love placing the napkins just to the right of the plate, lining the knife, fork and spoon up evenly. I find joy in setting the table. Then, when the food comes and we all take our seats, the table is complete. As we bow our heads to thank God for all our many blessings, in that moment, there is nothing I need.
It reminds me of Psalm 23. It is so familiar, I can recite it by memory.
“The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want….”
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
As I come upon verse 5, I notice something I never have before. It reads, “You prepare a table before me.”
“You prepare a table before me.”
I never really thought about God preparing a table before me. I wonder if God loves setting His table as much as I love setting mine?
The seats around my table are full and it feels good. But what about God’s table? Are all the seats full?
As I think about God setting the table before me, I wonder if the table God prepares is actually our lives. Oh the joy God must experience when we participate in the life He has prepared for us.
Psalm 23:6 reads, “You anoint my head with oil, my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
“Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of life…”
When I sit at my table with my family, I taste the goodness of God and I am thankful.
The great thing with God is the table is always set and everyone is welcome. Come to the table.
This thanksgiving, I want to encourage you to slow down. Be intentional in your conversations with your friends and family. Listen in an effort to really hear. Taste and see that the Lord is good. Because He is.
Make this thanksgiving a true act of giving thanks to God and others.
God has set a table before us. We are invited to sit at that table. It is up to us to come to the table.
Before you pray the prayer below, I hope you will listen to this YouTube. If you can’t see it, open this message from your browser.
Let us pray;
Oh God of the Great Thanksgiving, may our hearts be filled the your goodness, love and mercy. May we understand that You have prepared a table before us. Help us to eagerly come to the table. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
P.S. – I want you to know how thankful I am for you. I love writing and I love hearing from you in response. Feel free to leave a comment below, forward this message to a friend or share on Facebook. Next week, we are back to our Joshua series, as we remember all the great things God has done for us. -M
One thought on “Thanksgiving; come to the table”
God has set the table! The invitation is ours to accept or not to accept. Love you!