The Prepared Table
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
Psalm 23:5
Very often in life we feel as though we can find no escape from our enemies. We then must learn the discipline of experiencing God’s sustaining grace in the presence of enemies. How rich our faith is because of this promise in Psalm 23, that even in contrary circumstances we may find the peace and strength of God!
How often in the Scripture do we read of men and women of faith experiencing God in hostile environments! Abel worshiping God in the presence of his brother’s jealous anger; Abraham and his believing clan living among the pagan Canaanite people; Jacob wrestling with the angel the night before he meets Esau and his hundreds of armed men; Joseph experiencing God in an Egyptian prison; David writing psalms while on the run from jealous Saul; Elijah interceding for the nation while hiding from the anger of Ahab; Jeremiah falsely accused and imprisoned yet receiving a word from the Lord; Daniel worshiping and praying amid the treachery of the Babylonian court; Christ worshiping in the midst of hostile unbelief; the apostles filled with courage in the face of persecution; Paul and Silas worshiping God in a Philippian jail; John receiving the Revelation while imprisoned on Patmos — In fact the entire body of Scripture repeatedly bears witness to the people of faith who calmly and with divine peace worshiped and obeyed God in the presence of their enemies.
It happens so often that we should say that it is the normal Christian experience and the normal way that God works. Just as a shepherd would take his flocks up in to the table land of the mountains to feed on fresh grass during the long, hot summers, and in so doing would place them among predators, so the Lord does with His people. There it is that the sheep must take comfort in the protection of the shepherd, and not in the absence of enemies. Sheep must learn to eat amid enemies if they will live and believers in Christ must learn to experience Him amid hostility if we will have His peace.
The spiritual meal that we need and that God provides is prepared in advance. The Bible is already written, the Spirit of God is already prepared to come alongside and comfort us. God has already sent people ahead of us to prepare the way for us. We are never cut off from His love, nor from His work. Even in loneliness we are not alone, for the Lord is there with us. And if everything on earth is taken away, even life itself, the words of the Savior still speak of the place in heaven that He has gone ahead of us to prepare for us. In fact, as we look back over our lives we realize that many of God’s choicest truths are not discovered except in the presence of our enemies, and the sorrow was allowed not to wound us but to deepen us. It is only in the valley of the shadow of death that the Shepherd becomes “Thou”!
In John 14:27, on the night of His betrayal, Christ said to His followers: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” His peace comes from Him and we may receive it amid contrary circumstances. In fact, the words, “Do not let your hearts be troubled,” means that we have the power to hold onto His peace regardless of our surroundings. We do not need to let the world steal our joy or our peace.
There is a peace we all know that is based upon pleasant circumstances — one where we are comfortable and happy and calm because everything around us is pleasant and desirable. But this is not the peace of God that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:4–7), and it cannot guard our hearts or our minds, nor is it the ideal to be sought after. It is good only for enjoying the happy moment, but when trouble, temptation, rejection, sickness, or loss come calling, when enemies lurk and betrayal is at hand, that peace disappears like the morning mist. Only the peace of Christ will remain in the presence of enemies.
So our hearts must see Christ more vividly and clearly than we see our troubles and enemies. God’s peace is still available for us. Regardless of how the world treats us, or even how the “people of God” treat us, we still need not allow them to steal our joy and peace. Paul wrote, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things… And the God of peace will be with you” (Phil. 4:8–9). Focus on Him, place your thoughts on Him, see Him, think about Him, and all things that are excellent or praiseworthy, and He will give you peace.
He has, after all, prepared for us the table of grace and knowledge in the presence of our enemies.
