This is probably going to be as different an approach as any I’ve ever taken, but the picture of the Table of the Lord that He sets for us in the midst of our enemies is perhaps one of the least understood and the most rewarding. This is a revelation which, if you can get a hold of, will literally bless your socks off!
Over the past few months, we’ve spent a great deal of time in talking about the Paths of Righteousness, and more specifically, those things that occur as a part of our walking through the Valley of the Shadow of Death. Throughout the past 30 years or so, I can’t tell you how many people I’ve run across who genuinely believe that God is some mysterious being in high places just waiting for folks to screw up so He can come down on them like ugly on an ape.
Back to our discussion on the rod and the staff, here is the complete statement David makes as he describes our walk in the Paths of Righteousness through the Valley of the Shadow of Death. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou Art With Me; Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me. (Psalm 23:4)
Sometimes it can seem a bit monotonous when you stay with a subject for a prolonged time, so I figured I would change the pace a bit today and likely next week. We still have quite a distance to go, and a lot of revelation to explore in the Psalm 23 Adventure, so let’s take a break today and talk about something totally unrelated.
Sometimes it can seem a bit monotonous when you stay with a subject for a prolonged time, so I figured I would change the pace a bit today and likely next week. We still have quite a distance to go, and a lot of revelation to explore in the Psalm 23 Adventure, so let’s take a break today and talk about something totally unrelated.
Thought I was going to get to sharing some pictures from my visit at Uncle Roy’s but still haven’t gotten there yet. We will see what the day brings us today. There is another, totally different, aspect of the Rod that comforts us and brings us peace as we walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death. The rod that David describes is a whole lot more than just a rod for correction. Of the 81 times it appears in the Old and New Testaments it is a symbol of authority in the large majority of references.
Uncle Roy Archer was a shepherd in the truest sense of the word. Many years ago, I had the opportunity to visit his ranch and see a modern-day shepherd at work. You all probably understand that there is a huge difference between a shepherd and a sheep-herder. A shepherd leads his sheep. A sheep-herder drives his sheep, often using a sheep dog. What I saw and what I learned watching Uncle Roy is germane to where we will be going during the next few weeks.
Last week, I left you hanging with my story of God’s miraculous provision, so let me re-cap a part of it before we finish this narrative. We are still on the topic of For Thou art with me!