psalm 23:5 - Jeannie Waters, Writer & Speaker

Pull Up a Chair to God’s Table: Discover His Heart-Satisfying Gifts

August 16, 2023Jeannie Waters22 Comments

Have you ever enjoyed invitations such as these?

“Please come. I care about you, and I’ve missed you.”

“Come join me for a meal. We’ll talk and catch up on each other’s lives.”

“Pull up a chair, and let’s enjoy conversation together.”

Invitations are priceless gifts.

How do you feel when you’re invited to the table with someone you love or appreciate? Let’s chat about invitations to the table, then I’ll share an exciting update about my book, A Place at His Table: God’s Daily Gifts to Satisfy Your Heart, releasing September 4th.

A Place at His Table

I invite you to settle into a comfy chair to read the post.

When Mary Frances invited us for dinner, we always accepted. We anticipated my sister-in-law’s scrumptious food and family fellowship at her table.

When we pulled up our chairs, we found dishes filled with favorites like roast beef, fried chicken, butter beans, home-grown tomatoes, and biscuits. Joyful conversation and laughter offered a taste even sweeter than the blueberry cream pies Mary Frances served for dessert.

A seasoned cook, she prepared well as she planned her menu, checked the freezer, shopped, cooked, and set the table.

Our sister-in-law’s generosity fed us well, but God prepares a table of provision from His unlimited, heaven-sized pantry to nourish our souls and equip us to walk with Him in victory. His is a storehouse filled beyond our imagination to meet our every need—yours and mine.

King David, who worked as a shepherd before he was crowned king of Israel, wrote about the table God prepares. In the well-known twenty-third psalm, he began,

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want (Psalm 23:1 NKJV*).

After describing God as the loving Shepherd who cares for His sheep (verses 1-4), David described Him as the Host of His table, a generous host.

You prepare a table before me (Psalm 23:5a).

He described his place of provision as God’s table.

He understood that one of God’s names is Jehovah Jireh, which means “The Lord will provide.” In another psalm, David wrote,

The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein (Psalm 24:1).

He provides well for His sheep—those who’ve trusted Christ as Savior and Lord. As a good Father, God doesn’t provide everything on our wish list. Instead, He provides all we need.

As a good Father, God doesn’t provide everything on our wish list. Instead, He provides all we need. #psalm23
#christiandevotions #godsprovision Share on X

What are your needs today?

Do you need a portion of wisdom for a decision? An extra serving of patience? A cupful of faith or a bowlful of joy? Maybe you need to know you’re accepted or unconditionally loved. I’m pondering my needs as I ask you to list yours. Aren’t we grateful God knows our needs better than we do?

Is the enemy of anxiety or worry taunting you with whispers of “What if” and frightening scenarios? Let God equip you for the fight with peace. Are you doubting holy Truth you once believed? Let Him warm up your faith.

Accept God’s invitation. It contains no date or time. His is a standing invitation. For you. For me. For today and every day. To come as we are.

Join Him at His table, won’t you? He has a place for you and daily gifts to satisfy your heart.

Now it’s your turn

What are you expecting to find at God’s table today? Please share one of your most treasured blessings. It may be one that strengthens you to live for Christ.

Scripture verses in this post are taken from the NKJV.

Updates on A Place at His Table, available Sept. 4th

Operation Book Launch is in full operation.

The goal is to honor God. With the help of friends, I’m gathering a book launch team to help me send A Place at His Table out into the world.

Guess what! Tonight I saw the actual pages in a PDF format. They’re beautiful! The exquisite internal design frames God’s Word in the perfect way. Can you tell I’m a bit excited? The designer even created cute little decorative box images to showcase the Table Tips which are fun, practical ways to enjoy fellowship at the table, with a few recipes and centerpiece ideas.

Are you wondering what a book launch team is? It’s a friendly community of folks who gather in a private Facebook group to help share a book. The launch team members see a bit of behind-the-curtain peeks at how a book launches, and they share information. Never been on a team? No worries. Our marvelous Team Manager will show you how with clear directions.

Would you consider helping us? Whether you do or not, I appreciate you, my friend. I’m praying you enjoy the blessings on God’s table this week.

If you want to join, click the link below. After you hit “submit”, watch for the prompt to join the group. Thank you! Here’s the link:

Join Jeannie’s book launch team

Resist the Holiday Rush: Accept a Gift from God’s Table

November 9, 2021Jeannie Waters38 Comments

Dear friend,

Pull up a chair and notice the gift on the table. The tag reads: “From: God, To: You.”

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is gift-tag.png

Yes, this present is for you. Take a deep breath and lay aside your to-do list for a moment. Ready?

Now, remove the ribbon. Lift the lid and move the tissue paper aside. Is that not the most beautiful gift you’ve seen in ages? What? You don’t see it? The box looks empty?

That’s the beauty of it, my friend. The box is empty by design. When I explain, you’ll love your one-size-fits-all, yet personally designed, very-much-needed present.

Rest is one of the many gifts God places on His table for us.

Within this gift, you’ll find margins. Yes, margins. My first-grade teacher taught me to leave margins on my papers. They create a neat appearance and make the writing more attractive and easier to read.

What about margins in our daily calendars?

Margins are bits of unscheduled time for resting, creating or otherwise enjoying the day. Lately, I’ve read several blog posts about this topic. Maybe the idea of setting margins is popular because of our fast-paced lives.

We’re tempted to fill the days with countless chores and opportunities and then become frustrated when tasks are left undone, leaving no time for relaxation. Can anyone identify?

The best news? God designed rest for us because He knows we need it. Rest and margins are among the many gifts our heavenly Father gives us.

Imagine with me the table the psalmist described when he spoke to God,

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
Psalm 23:5 NKJV

How can we fight the spiritual enemies of fear, worry, doubt, and discouragement if we refuse God’s gift of rest until we become bone-tired?

Jesus said to His disciples,

Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while. For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat.
Mark 6:31 NKJV

Although I know Jesus rested and instructed His disciples to do so, I’ll confess. I’m a calendar crammer. (My husband may tell me to practice what I preach if he reads this post!)

Even when weeks are full, I slip extra events and chores into tiny pockets of time, erroneously thinking I’ll get to all of it. That practice creates stress and frustration I don’t need.

Here’s a better way.

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.
Colossians 3:15 ESV

We obey the last part of the verse, especially during this Thanksgiving month, but we often ignore the first part of the verse in our rush to join the Holiday Rush!

The lives of Christ-followers can overflow with peace and gratitude, but it’s difficult to embrace the peace of Jesus when we’re in a frenzy from a jam-packed agenda. In addition to prayer and Bible study, we need times of rest and relaxation.

The lives of Christ-followers can overflow with peace and gratitude, but it’s difficult to embrace the peace of Jesus when we’re in a frenzy from a jam-packed agenda. Share on X

We need time to allow the peace of Christ to rule our hearts. We need to savor His peace and allow it to fill our minds and direct our decision-making.

Two conversations led me to rethink the way I make holiday decisions.

A dear friend shared her plans.

I’m going to make and freeze a pound cake ahead of time, bake fruitcake cookies, and make nut cookies. That’s all I’m baking this year. I’ll buy some chocolate goodies and cheese straws. I want to honor the Lord and enjoy a calm, joyful time with my family instead of being exhausted when they arrive.

Another friend confessed, “I’m dreading the holidays already! Everyone comes to my house and it’s so much work. I want them to come, and I’m happy to prepare for them, but I end up exhausted and grouchy.”

Sound familiar? It’s a blessing to serve others, but it’s also hard work. Thanksgiving opens the door to the Christmas season and the rush is on before we know it. Food, gifts, programs, cards, dinners, company…and the beat goes on.

What can we do to prepare for a joyous, peaceful holiday season?

I hope you’ll join me and try this four-step process to prepare for the holidays, and more importantly, to “let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.”

Invite Jesus to Fill Your Heart with His Peace

Stop.
Sit still long enough to pray and seek God’s gift of rest.
Ask the Prince of Peace to fill your hearts and direct your plans.
Proceed with holiday plans and take intentional steps to share His peace with others.

Look into your box again. Pull out those margins of rest and put them into your calendar. It’s refreshing to have time to pray, take a walk, doodle or thumb through a magazine, listen to music, sketch a picture, or read.

Take one more deep breath. (Surely, we have time for at least two a day, right?)

Like the margins on my first-grade papers, unscheduled time makes our lives neater and more appealing as the joy and peace of Christ fill our hearts and overflow to others. Time spent with Him and the addition of margins will bring smiles and fortify us to resist the holiday rush.

Your friend who’s learning to add margins,

Jeannie

Please share the ways you accept God’s gift of rest and add margins to your calendar. Let’s help each other.

P. S. I promised to share holiday appetizer recipes, and I will soon. Until then, here’s a reminder of some old favorites.

Pigs in a Blanket

Cut canned biscuits in half or use crescent roll dough.

Add a mini sausage and some sharp cheddar or another cheese.

Roll up and bake at 375 until golden brown.

Stuffed Celery

Stuff celery sticks with pimento cheese.

Garnish with extra pimento slices.

Use the celery leaves as a garnish to create a pretty appetizer plate.

Disappearing Snack Crackers

Spread softened cream cheese onto a round, salty cracker.

Add a dollop of green pepper jelly.

Coming soon: Hearty Olé Appetizer, veggie dip, pickle sandwiches, Cheese Crispies, and more

Finding God’s Gifts at the Table

October 13, 2021Jeannie Waters32 Comments

Our grandchildren’s eyes widen when they see the focal point of family birthday celebrations—the coffee table laden with gift-wrapped packages. Throughout the year, our daughter-in-love notes the toys the children admire, and she considers their needs and interests. Her process ensures the gifts will be both delightful and appropriate.

My husband and I join our co-grandparents and contribute to the purchases. Then we all enjoy watching the children open gifts, selected especially for them.

Our grandchildren’s mom spends more time with them than anyone else, and she knows their preferences, needs, and sizes. Therefore, the gifts—some needed and some desired—are well-chosen. Wished-for gifts that are unsafe or unwise never make it to the coffee table.

Our heavenly Father also provides gifts for His children. How does our family’s gift-giving tradition compare to God’s provision?

Psalm 23 gives us insight. David praised God as His Provider while he lived under a roof of blazing sun and twinkling stars. If I’d been with David, I would have requested a palace bed instead of a grassy knoll on rocky hillsides with smelly sheep.

However, I’m grateful for God’s plan in David’s life, for his pasture lessons birthed beautiful words that reveal characteristics of our heavenly Father.

David expressed gratitude for the table prepared before him.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over.
Psalm 23:5 NKJV

According to Phillip Keller in A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, the table David referred to could have been a high plateau or a mesa, land the shepherds prepared for their sheep before allowing them to graze there.

Keller describes his own shepherding experience as an arduous process that required the removal of harmful weeds, the clearance of winter debris from water holes, and the protection of the flock from predators. ¹

Jesus, our Shepherd, prepares a table for us—a place of fellowship and provision with Him. As the good Shepherd, He supplies all we need. Instead of feeding on the poisonous weeds of false teaching and the cluttered trials of self-effort, we can find gifts on His table to calm our hearts and teach us more about Him.

Instead of allowing the enemy of our souls to devour us like a prowling lion that threatens sheep, we can seek our Shepherd’s protection and embrace the gifts at His table designed to defeat our enemy.

In addition to the shepherd analogy, some scholars describe the Lord as the Host in Psalm 23:5 and His children as guests at His table. In verses 5-6 the psalmist used hospitality-related words, such as table, oil, cup, and house. ² God’s buffet of blessings is always available.

He invites you to His table to exchange discouragement for joy, fear for peace, and doubt for faith. Empty your plate of false guilt and fill it with His acceptance. Defeat the enemy of pride with an opportunity to serve with a humble heart. Fight against a critical spirit by speaking words of encouragement. His table is filled with every provision we need.

Speaking of tables, back to my question …

How does our family’s gift-giving tradition at the coffee table compare to the provisions at God’s table?

The coffee table serves as a focal point for our celebrations, but when God’s table is our focal point, we find far more generous gifts—blessings we need and blessings that delight us. God knows us better than anyone else. As our good Father, He chooses wisely.

Some of His gifts may not be on our list, but we can trust Him as the Giver of good gifts (James 1:17). Some of what we long for may be omitted for a while because God knows the future and works from His sovereign plan. He’s a wise and loving Father.

If we are Christ-followers, children of God, His gifts are ours to embrace.

If we are Christ-followers, children of God, His gifts are ours to embrace. Share on X

What are you longing to find at His table? We don’t know what today will bring, but God knows which gifts will meet our needs and help us defeat the enemy. Has one of His gifts surprised you lately? Please share with us in the Comments below. We’d love to hear from you.

If this post blessed you today, perhaps you’ll share the link with a friend. Thanks for reading.

¹Keller, W. Phillip. A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 1970), 91-95. ² The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway, 2028), 966 (a reference to Psalm 23:5).

The Answer to Anxiety is on the Table

September 30, 2020Jeannie Waters16 Comments

When our entire family gathers in our home, I love to prepare everyone’s favorite dishes, even though I sometimes get anxious about doing a good job. Anxiety loses its grip when I pray. As the younger grandchildren arrive and stand on tiptoe to see what’s on the table, I take a deep breath and smile.

In a familiar psalm, after describing God as the good Shepherd, David wrote about His heavenly Father’s table:

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies …
Psalm 23:5 ESV

I often read this verse and picture myself standing on tiptoe at the edge of God’s table wondering what He has placed there for me. One thing I know: I’ll find everything I need because He promises to provide (Philippians 4:19).

When anxiety taps on the window of our minds–as in my case sometimes–we can choose to focus on God’s presence and His table of provision, just as my littles do when they arrive at our house. The Lord serves generous portions of His peace to enable us to stand against the enemy of anxiety (Philippians 4:6-7).

I can personalize the verse like the psalmist did because as a believer, I too, am a child of God, a member of His flock. God prepares a table before me—Jeannie.

When I insert my name into the verse, my spiritual ears perk up, and I consider the responsibilities and challenges of my day. Sometimes I know what I require, yet there are needs I don’t foresee. God always knows. At the right time, He sets the table with every necessary provision.

Maybe today, I’ll need an extra serving of patience. It’s there.

If discouragement threatens to become the centerpiece of my day, I’ll find courage and hope at God’s buffet of blessings.

Perhaps beside my plate He placed an opportunity to encourage someone.

Without a doubt, God serves generous portions of peace to help me fight the enemy of anxiety.

Is something making you uneasy today? What’s tempting you to worry?

Our world teems with unsettling news reports which sometimes join forces with personal circumstances to war against our peace. Are you fretting over a difficult relationship or a recent medical diagnosis? Do financial concerns or important decisions keep you awake at night? Is fear making you edgy?

Try these suggestions when you feel anxious.

Insert your name into Psalm 23:5 and remember your heavenly Father planned today’s menu to meet your needs so that you can honor and serve Him and others. “You prepare a table before me, (insert your name), in the presence of my enemies …”
Thank God for your blessings which enable you to stand against anxiety and other enemies. Record them in a journal for one week.
List the needs you have and write an applicable verse of Scripture beside each one. Turn the verses into prayer requests as you converse with God.

Tag: psalm 23:5