Make the Cook Smile!

Psalms 23:5

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

In the 23rd Psalms, the psalmist speaks of a table. It was not just any old table but a prepared table. When someone prepares something, they generally are expecting someone to show up or something to happen. The psalmist made it clear that the one who was doing the preparing was the Shepherd.

The word prepare is defined as; to take the necessary action to put something into a state where it is fit for use or action, or for a particular event or purpose.

It is very obvious to those who know the Lord and are familiar with His character and nature that He is not a haphazard God. God is very orderly and organized. God never just throws things together and hope it all works out alright. Everything God does has purpose, power, and passion. Therefore, when we think of a table that has been prepared by God, we must think and imagine on a higher level. We must consider who is preparing this table and the resources that they have to do what they are doing.

Now, there are people in this world who have lots of money and earthly resources but they don’t have the nature of God. God is an extravagant giver. He is not stingy nor is He greedy. The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof. God’s resources and supplies are unlimited; they are inexhaustible.
God is gracious and always looking for ways to bless and overflow people’s lives with abundance. God is Love and Love manifests itself through giving. God is never selfish; He is not trying to hoard things for Himself.

The scripture declares that the Shepherd prepares a table before you. Now, notice it doesn’t say "He prepares a table and sits you at the table". No, it says "He prepares a table before you". This could mean either that He is getting it ready as you are looking or that He put an already prepared table right in front of you.

In the natural, when you are expecting a guest for dinner, you prepare the table with your guest in mind. You particularly pay attention to what they like and also in love, what they need. The table that God prepares for us is right before us. It’s not hidden or covered...it's right there. Now, He is putting this table in front of you so that you can benefit from what’s on it. But if you never go sit down and start partaking of its bounty, you will only be a spectator. We can shout about the table, dance about the table, tell other people how pretty the table is, yet never sit down and enjoy what’s on the table ourselves.

Whatever God puts on your table is for you because the Shepherd knows His sheep, your table is stacked just for you. When you sit down at your table, you will never need to look across the room to see if your neighbor got more or better things than you. The Good Shepherd will always provide lavishly for each and every sheep. There may even be somethings you see on your table that you may think surely the Shepherd has made a mistake this should be on so and so’s table not my table. But rest assured God knows exactly what He has put on your table. So don’t fret, just dig right in and start eating. Know that everything on that table is for you and that it is good.

Make sure that you don’t get distracted by your enemies that are standing around watching you partake from your table. Don’t let fear or intimidation stop you from eating. Don’t let guilt harass you into the sense realm. It will have you saying things like, “But I feel bad about prospering right in front of them and they are just standing there with nothing.” The enemy of guilt and shame will use manipulation and pity to try and make you get up from your table and serve them. God is no respecter of persons, if they are truly God’s sheep, the best thing you can do for them is to tell them to stop staring at you and go over to their own table and enjoy the things God has prepared for them.

Don’t wait for the people next to you to start eating before you start. Although that is a human courtesy, it has nothing to do with your spiritual supply. We honor God when we scoot up to the table and enjoy what he has placed before us. He has prepared and begin to dig in by faith and enjoy all that He has prepared.

There is nothing like seeing someone who is hungry set down at a table you have prepared for them and they just make themselves at home, enjoy every bite with a smile. These are those who don’t mind asking for second helpings and you always know they will be back because they were satisfied at the table. Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good, you’ll always come back for more.
It makes the cook smile!

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