Psalm 23:5 The Message

You prepare a feast for me
    in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
    My cup overflows with blessings.

You have been invited to a private royal feast! You are the guest of honor at a beautifully set table for two. Waiting to greet you is Adonai Tseva’ot, the God of the Angel Armies. He is not only your host but also your server, your anointer, and your cupbearer.

If your closet is like mine, you would not have the appropriate clothes for such a magnificent occasion. Don’t despair; your host has even provided your wardrobe for the evening. He has thought of every detail to make your evening glorious. After all, He is your Father. He knows you better than anyone else, even better than you know yourself.

The delicious meal is infused with joy, laughter, and engaging conversation. A peace that cannot be described in words calms you, body, soul, and spirit. After a time, He gently whispers for you to lift your eyes and look out beyond the table. You have been so immersed in the food and His presence that you have not noticed the others looking on.

The dark, evil beings keep their distance, trembling in the shadows, the enemies of your soul who have tried to destroy you. They hate you because you belong to the King of kings. You are covered, protected by the blood of the Lamb, the One who conquered them. Your Father picks up an ornate vessel of fragrant anointing oil and slowly pours it over your head, signifying and sealing you as set apart, His. The oil is warm, dripping onto your gifted clothing and pooling at your feet. Its sweet aroma fills the room, and the healing it carries is tangible as it drifts in the air.

Your cup is filled to the brim… overflowing…. He keeps pouring out refreshment, blessings, grace, and mercy. It’s a wondrous mystery….your cup is never empty, always running over with His love and presence.

Your Father, Adonai Tseva’ot, God of the Angel Armies, wants you to know and understand that you don’t have to strive to please Him with your religious works. Pious religious works are a stench in His nostrils. Thinking that religious busyness, the works of the flesh, are of more value than the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, His son, is, as the Apostle Paul described it in Philippians 3:8, nothing but dung. Yes, you read that right…dung.

If you have bowed your knee to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, believing His death and resurrection washed you clean from your sin, then your striving to be good enough is over. You can rest in the finished work of Jesus on the cross. His sacrifice has declared you righteous and holy. It was the greatest love-driven exchange of all time…His life for you so you can be free from striving in shame and condemnation.

He’s done all the preparation. Get your dancing shoes on! It’s time to party here on this side of eternity!