It has been days since I have blogged my Journal. I find it harder to journal and blog since I have taken on the responsibility of watching the grand kids some nights as well as conducting a Lifegroup on Saturday nights. This journal entry reminded me of the patience I needed in waiting for my life storm to end. Some are going through a brief shower and others, like me, are in the midst of a Hurricane. Those who hide in the shelter of the Lord's house find safety in the storm others who chose not to are like one seeking shelter in a hurricane underneath an umbrella. My invitation is for you to come in the house of the Lord and sit at His table and find safety, rest, comfort, and nourishment!
October 30, 2015
Worship: Come to the Table by
Sidewalk Prophets
"Come To The Table"
We all start on the outside
The outside looking in
This is where grace begins
We were hungry, we were thirsty
With nothing left to give
Oh the shape that we were in
Just when all hope seemed lost
Love opened the door for us
He said come to the table
Come join the sinners who have been redeemed
Take your place beside the Savior
Sit down and be set free
Come to the table
Come meet this motley crew of misfits
These liars and these thieves
There's no one unwelcome here
So that sin and shame that you brought with you
You can leave it at the door
Let mercy draw you near
Come to the table
Come join the sinners who have been redeemed
Take your place beside the Savior
Sit down and be set free
Come to the table
Come to the table
To the thief and to the doubter
To the hero and the coward
To the prisoner and the soldier
To the young and to the older
All who hunger, all who thirst
All the last and all the first
All the poppers and the princess
All who fail you've been forgiven
All who dream and all who suffer
All who loved and lost another
All the chained and all the free
All who follow, all who lead
Anyone who's been let down
All the lost you have been found
All who have been labeled right or wrong
To everyone who hears this song
Ooh
Come to the table
Come join the sinners you have been redeemed
Take your place beside the Savior
Sit down and be set free
Oooh
Sit down and be set free
Come to the table
Come to the table
Just sit down and rest a while
Just sit down and rest a while
Come to the table
The outside looking in
This is where grace begins
We were hungry, we were thirsty
With nothing left to give
Oh the shape that we were in
Just when all hope seemed lost
Love opened the door for us
He said come to the table
Come join the sinners who have been redeemed
Take your place beside the Savior
Sit down and be set free
Come to the table
Come meet this motley crew of misfits
These liars and these thieves
There's no one unwelcome here
So that sin and shame that you brought with you
You can leave it at the door
Let mercy draw you near
Come to the table
Come join the sinners who have been redeemed
Take your place beside the Savior
Sit down and be set free
Come to the table
Come to the table
To the thief and to the doubter
To the hero and the coward
To the prisoner and the soldier
To the young and to the older
All who hunger, all who thirst
All the last and all the first
All the poppers and the princess
All who fail you've been forgiven
All who dream and all who suffer
All who loved and lost another
All the chained and all the free
All who follow, all who lead
Anyone who's been let down
All the lost you have been found
All who have been labeled right or wrong
To everyone who hears this song
Ooh
Come to the table
Come join the sinners you have been redeemed
Take your place beside the Savior
Sit down and be set free
Oooh
Sit down and be set free
Come to the table
Come to the table
Just sit down and rest a while
Just sit down and rest a while
Come to the table
Writer(s): Dave Frey, Ben Mcdonald
Copyright: Run Run Milo, Pencil Prophet Publishing, Dayspring Music LLC
Copyright: Run Run Milo, Pencil Prophet Publishing, Dayspring Music LLC
Witness: It’s a rainy cool day. It
is a welcomed break from the hot days that we have been experiencing and a time
of refreshing for the earth. Sometimes dreary days are needed to bring needed
nourishment and renewal. We can mope and complain about the rain, or wait
patiently for the sunshine and the refreshment brought by those rainy dreary
days. We also can mope and complain because the rain the Lord has brought into
our lives, or wait patiently for the clouds to part and rejoice in blessings
and refreshing that come from the dreary storm filled times in our lives. In
fact, if we believe in the God of the flood and the rainbow, we can rejoice in
the rain as well, expectantly waiting for what is to follow. I understand for
some the rains are brief and for others they are a monsoon. I will not be
flippant or dismissive concerning long periods of rain in our life, but this I
know. Our great shepherd goes through them with us and leads us out of them. If
we remain faithful and focused on Him, we will get through it. If we balk and
stray, we may end up devoured by the enemy or fall off the edge of a cliff into
the abyss. Yet, I am confident of better things for the true sheep of God. The
Good Shepherd rescues them by rod and staff and calls them to His table of
abundant blessing. It may still be raining outside, and the enemy may be close
by looking on, but in the house of the Lord there is protection and blessing
and peace in the midst of it all. In fact, the true saint declares with the
Psalmist:
Better is one day in your
courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house
of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. Ps 84:10
NIV
They know the enemy’s tents may promise pleasure but it is only
for a season (Hebrews 11:25), but in the end there is no treasure to be had
only “moth and rust” (Matthew 6:19), death and dust. But the sheep of the Lord
declare:
For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and
honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. O Lord of
hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you! Ps 84:11-12 ESV
WORD:
Ps 23:5-6
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. NIV |
Ps 23:5-6
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. KJV |
This verse reminds me of a table implied in the previous Psalm we
looked at. Psalm 22:26 says:
The poor will eat and be satisfied; they who seek the Lord will
praise him — may your hearts live forever! NIV
In fact, one resource I read says:
Psalms 23:5
The background may be that of the fellowship meal which followed
the thanksgiving sacrifice in the Temple (see 22:26).
(from UBS Old Testament Handbook Series. Copyright © 1978-2004 by
United Bible Societies. All rights reserved.)
What a great scene we have before us! This is not only provision,
but a plethora of blessings provided by God our Shepherd or Host, depending on
how you see the metaphor here. And does He not promise this to His sheep or
people? Does He not say in the Great Shepherd passages of John chapter ten:
I have come so that they may have life, life in its fullest
measure. John 10:10
Complete Jewish Bible
And this eternal and
blessed life contains:
Eph 1:3-10
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has
blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For
he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in
his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus
Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious
grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have
redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the
riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.
And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure,
which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have
reached their fulfillment — to bring all things in heaven and on earth together
under one head, even Christ.
NIV
And:
2 Peter 1:3-4
His divine power has given us everything we need for life and
godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and
goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises,
so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the
corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
NIV
And so we declare with all the hosts of heaven and saints living
and at rest:
"Amen! Praise and
glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for
ever and ever. Amen!" Rev 7:12 NIV
And how shall we then live in light of this all?
For this very reason, make
every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to
knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to
perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly
kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they
will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our
Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:5-8 NIV
So come to the table my brothers and sisters and rest. And if you
are still on the outside looking in, there is a place for you as well. Come!
The Spirit and the bride
say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" Whoever is
thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the
water of life. Rev 22:17 NIV
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