Psalm 23 (Meditation) [Part 5]

Note: In Meditation posts, I will be sharing the lessons and insights I have personally gained from studying and meditating on God’s Word. Please note that these are from my personal viewpoint. I am aware that God may reveal many different insights to different people from the same verse or passage. That is what makes the Bible alive! So don’t stop searching for God’s own personal revelation to you.

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

      Think about that for a moment. Wouldn’t it be cool for God Himself to prepare a banquet? And when God prepares a banquet, it won’t be a simple meal—it will be a feast! All this in front of your enemies. David goes on expressing how God honors this person: “Thou anointest my head with oil.” During the time of the ancient Hebrews, anointing a person with oil is also a mark of hospitality, an act of honoring the guest. So God sets up an elaborate feast for us, and even honors us as guests by anointing us with oil. David accurately says, “My cup runneth over.” This is more than we will ever need.

      Would God do this to anyone? I believe He would only do this for those who faithfully follow in His steps. Just as 1 Samuel 2:30 states, God honors those who honor Him. In Proverbs 29:23 and 22:4, God promises to reward the humble. The prospect of God honoring us would make “turning the other cheek” easier, wouldn’t it? The people who mistreat us today will soon watch us be honored by the Lord, if only we would faithfully develop the character of Christ.

Blessings,

Nathanael Chong

Psalm 23 (Meditation) [Part 4]

Note: In Meditation posts, I will be sharing the lessons and insights I have personally gained from studying and meditating on God’s Word. Please note that these are from my personal viewpoint. I am aware that God may reveal many different insights to different people from the same verse or passage. That is what makes the Bible alive! So don’t stop searching for God’s own personal revelation to you.

Verse four: 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.

      If we walk in the footsteps of Christ and genuinely live the Christian life, we are bound to face strong opposition. Sometimes we may even find ourselves in physical danger. Also, as is often the case for many evangelists, God may call us into places where dangers loom in every corner.

      This verse uses the word “valley,” which is translated to be “steep valley” and “narrow gorge,” because the term reflects the shadows, gloominess, and depression that one would likely feel in such a place, as opposed to the feeling of strolling on the mountain top. The shadow of death refers to danger, distress, and darkness.

      But even in such treacherous situations, the psalmist says that he will fear nothing. No evil, danger, or threat will place fear in his heart, and he goes on to explain why: “For thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” The rod and the staff are two different objects. The rod is used to fight off danger, and the staff is used to guide straying sheep with its crook. We can be fearless under the hand of Christ because we know that He will guide our steps and defend us from evil.

      We are comforted by that knowledge, and we can rest secured by His grace. God will give us the strength to live out His perfect will in our lives. No matter where we go, as long as our Shepherd is with us as we walk in His way, we have nothing to fear.

Blessings,

Nathanael Chong

New Year Prayer

Heavenly Father,

      We look back on the past year, and we see all that we have been through. We also see the many things You have done and how Your hand had been in our lives ever since the beginning. We want to say "thank you" for everything, just everything. We have grown so much in those experiences, and we thank You for them. Though we had both successes and failures, victories and struggles, good times and bad times, we know that You had always been with us and will continue to walk with us.

      As we step into this new year with faith, we ask that You will continue to work in our lives. We believe that this year will be filled with new opportunities to grow even more in our walk with You. Continue to lead us, guide us, and reveal to us Your will. Take us by the hand and bring us through the adventures the year will bring us. Let us not walk astray, but may we always keep You as our focus in life.

      We enter this new year with great expectations and with hope for a great journey with You.

We pray all this in Jesus' name. Amen.