A Table Prepared for Us

David, the author of most of the Book of Psalms, was a shepherd and wrote out of his own experience. He spent the better part of his childhood caring for his sheep, who were completely dependent on him.

The New Testament calls Jesus the good shepherd (John 10:11), the great Shepherd (Hebrews 13:20), and the Great Shepherd (1 Peter 5:4). With Jesus as the shepherd, we are His sheep. While we are not helpless, passive animals, we strive to be obedient followers and set aside our sheep-like qualities.

Psalm 23 is not centered around the helpless animals, but is all about the discipleship qualities of those who chose to follow Jesus, the Great Shepherd. This shepherd knows what is best for us, His followers, and He provides for all our needs.

Psalm 23:5 (MSG) You serve me a six-course dinner right in front of my enemies. You revive my drooping head; my cup brims with blessing.

Are the holidays difficult to face? Do you dread family gatherings where Aunt Sue and Cousin Jim are always trying to out-do the other with stories of recent expensive purchases. Does this happen in the presence of Grandma Jess who just lost her husband of 52 years and is wondering how she will be able to go on? These characters are all sheep who need the love and provision of the Great Shepherd.

Where do you find yourself today? Are you in a better place than last Thanksgiving? Have you been able to put food on the table for your children? Did you purchase your first home this past year? Or, has the year been a difficult one for you and your family? No matter the difference from last year to now, the Shepherd has been doing what a Shepherd does...tends to his flock.

For this I give you all thanks and praise and honor.

Psalm 23

Praise the Lord

I went to a party several years ago. My wife and I had a great time. We left with several other people. Everyone said their departing pleasantries, but I forgot to say “Thank You.”

 

The next day, when I realized my omission, I felt bad. I remedied the situation with a phone call, but I still felt a bit foolish.

 

Today’s reading is Psalms 103:1-10.

 

King David is praising the Lord for all he does. David tells us that the Lord heals, forgives, provides, loves and provides justice. David goes on to say that the Lord does not hold grudges and is compassionate.

 

David’s praises go far beyond “Thank You.”

 

Today, 3,000 years later, we have a lot to be thankful for. God has given us families so that we are not alone.  He provides us with food and clothing. He has given us the gift of medicine, and he has given us vocations so that we can help each other.  When our vocations get the best of us, he even gives us vacations to refresh and renew ourselves.

 

More importantly, God has given us wisdom. He gave us his Word, that is, the Bible, and he has given us the Holy Spirit so that we can understand his Word. His Word tells us a bit about God and how he loves those he created.  It also tells us how God expects us to live. It even gives us tasks that will please him. When things get rough, His Word gives us hope.

 

Most importantly, however, God sent his son, Jesus Christ, to atone for our sins. Although he might get angry at us for not living up to his standards, Jesus’ death on the cross “forgives all our sins.” Jesus' painful act of compassion assures us that we will have eternal life with him.

 

Sometimes we take God’s graciousness and love for granted. We get busy with work or with our families, or perhaps even watching a football game. When we realize our forgetfulness, it can make us feel bad.

 

Remember all God has done for us, and, like David, praise God and give him thanks!

 

You don’t even need a phone to remedy the situation.

Thanks and The Lack Thereof

Have you ever done something for somebody and did not get the thanks you thought you would get? Perhaps you purchased a special Christmas gift for your child, and when they opened it, the look on their face told you they were not thrilled with it. Or perhaps you gave a nice dinner party and spent a lot of time on a dessert and nobody commented on how good it was. No doubt, you were disappointed.

Today’s reading is of a similar story from Luke17:11-19. Jesus heals ten lepers. Nine were Jews from the Kingdom of Judah, the home of Jesus, and one was from the land of Samaria.

Samaria was once part of the defunct northern Kingdom of Israel. 750 years earlier, the Assyrian King Shalmaneser defeated the apostate kingdom and relocated tens of thousands of Israelites to places east. The Assyrians also relocated other people in their empire to the land they just conquered.

Through intermarriage, the Samaritans became a mixture of many races, including the once mighty (and once faithful) Israelites. The Jews and the Samaritans hated each other.

Imagine you had just been healed of leprosy. You no doubt would be overjoyed and very thankful. Perhaps the nine Jews were. Perhaps the miracle made them speechless.  Perhaps being society’s outcasts made them forget their manners. At any rate, they did not give thanks! Imagine the disappointment Jesus may have felt.

On the other hand the Samaritan behaved in the opposite way. “He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him.” Jesus was very pleased with this man’s faith!

Today is Thanksgiving. Our annual ritual of overeating and watching football is a celebration of the good things we have.

As we enjoy the company of family and friends, let’s remember to give thanks for everything God has done for us. Our food, clothes, home and family are gifts from him. But the best gift is that of Jesus who provides us with eternal life.

May you have a happy and blessed Thanksgiving!

The Heart of the Leper

Watching thankfulness is a great spectator sport!  It’s fun, touching and heartening, all at the same time.  A smile that lights up a face ... a tear on a cheek ... a pause to absorb an expression of love ... arms thrown around a neck ... a squeal and a jump for joy.  True thankfulness cannot be contained in our spirits alone, but always seeks physical release.  Nor is it an obligation we begrudgingly dispatch, rather a natural response that pours forth from within us in both humility and joy.

When it comes right down to it, we are most grateful when we have received grace, an unexpected kindness.  But we're not always thankful ...

One day as Jesus was heading into a village, ten lepers called out to him, asking for pity on their condition.  At his instruction, they went to show themselves to the priests and, along the way, all of them were healed.  Yet only one returned to throw himself at Jesus’ feet and give, in exchange, a precious gift of his own – praise and thanksgiving from his heart to his God, his healer.  Surely, all ten men went home happy that day, but only one was thankful.

So Paul reminds us to be mindful of God's grace, as well, “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him (Colossians 3:17).”   

Like the ten lepers, we have received grace.  Like the one leper, may we give, in return, our all.

“What language shall I borrow
     To thank thee, dearest friend,
For this thy dying sorrow,
     Thy pity without end?

O make thee thine forever,
     And should I fainting be,
Lord, let me never, never
     Outlive my love to thee.”

St. Bernard of Clairvaux