The Organized Life
You prepare a table for me before my enemies. Psalm 23:5
Prepare – Preparing a table has special meaning in the ancient culture of Israel. It was a sign of hospitality and a precursor to relationship commitments. That’s why you will often find meals associated with legal and political agreements. But in this psalm, the situation is uncharacteristically shocking. No one would think of preparing a meal in the presence of enemies. Meals are for friends and allies, not those who seek to harm.
Of course, the meal that God prepares is not for the enemies. It is for the one who is in relationship with the host, God Himself. This meal is a sign that, in spite of the threat of enemies, the covenant commitment between God and the guest at the table guarantees safety – and more. The extras matter.
The Hebrew verb is ‘arak. It describes arranging, ordering and preparing. It can even be extended to the process of valuing, like setting a temple tax. It’s used to picture preparation for battle, laying out something in order, preparing a legal argument and presenting a prayer. But the picture that we want to look at is found in Proverbs 9:2, where Wisdom also prepares a table for those who seek her. This verse in Psalms and the verse in Proverbs tell us something very important. When we seek God and His ways, He engineers our lives so that they display the order He wishes, even in the presence of those who stand against us. Wisdom calls us to “forsake folly and live.” God invites us to the same table. Let Him do the organizing, and the meal you will be served will bring you life.
It seems so reasonable, doesn’t it? Of course we know that God is able to arrange all of our lives so that we are well-fed (we experience shalom) and we rest in His provision. We may even believe that He is willing to do this. But we still have to let Him! We still have to take our hands off the stove, stop trying to season the recipe, get out of the kitchen and wait until the meal is ready. When God prepares, He does not share the culinary art with us. He does it His way, in His time. It is a meal fit for a king so you won’t find it served at a fast-food restaurant. In an age when we expect God to get moving, we have forgotten the art of dining. He has not!
Are you hungry for a banquet, or are you going to be satisfied with a quick snack? Life takes time. That’s why the community of believers relies on the experienced wisdom of elders, not young men. If you’re going to have the patience to allow God to prepare the table, then you will have had to live long enough to know the difference between chateaubriand and hamburger. Either one may diffuse the hunger pangs, but only one will be delightful. And God only serves delightful meals.
Letting God prepare is one of the most difficult things to do in a world that encourages immediacy. But immediacy has a price – disorganization. If you want shalom, you must wait for it.
Topical Index: shalom, arak, prepare, Psalm 23:5
