The Table, the Oil, the Cup | Psalm 23:5
By Rev. Jeremiah Cheung
Psalm 23 declares, “The Lord is my shepherd.” This is a faith relationship, a life relationship. When the Lord is our shepherd, we will not lack in our physical nor in our spiritual needs. Moreover, when our spirits fall into a stupor, the Lord will use different circumstances to rouse us awake, that we may turn back to the path of righteousness. And when we get lost and find ourselves in the valley of the shadow of death, the Good Shepherd will use His rod and His staff to discipline us and to comfort us.
Now Psalm 23:5 says, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” Continuing on the path of righteousness does not mean we are guaranteed smooth sailing. Enemies will always appear, and this time, our enemy is the Coronavirus. It has disrupted our lives and our plans. Yet, if you allow the Lord to be the Shepherd of your life, He will prepare a table before you in the presence of your enemies. We can overcome this terrible enemy. We can turn this threat into an opportunity for us to experience the Lord’s grace in our lives. It can become a life experience that we can share with others – even with those who will come behind us – about the amazing work of our God.
The Lord anoints my head with oil. When a sheep is injured, its shepherd binds its wounds and anoints it with oil to restore it to health. David said the Lord is my shepherd, He leads me to overcome my enemies. When I am wounded, He anoints me with oil and heals me. Moreover, He makes my cup overflow. Today, we face various enemies – possible economic woes, threats to our health, even relationship difficulties. But we are not just a people who will overcome; we are more than victorious – this is what it means for our cup to overflow!
Church, in the face of this terrible enemy, the Coronavirus, not only will we overcome it, we will be more than overcomers. I look forward to hearing your testimonies of overcoming our current enemy!
桌子，油，杯子 | 詩篇 23:5
張國強牧師
詩篇23篇告訴我們耶和華是我的牧者，這是信仰的關係，是生命的關係。當耶和華成為我們的牧者, 我們在肉身上,在性靈上也必不會缺乏。而且當我們的靈沉睡時的,神會藉著不同的環境使我們醒起來,使我們繼續行在義路上。當我們迷失在死蔭的幽谷, 好牧人用他的杖, 他的竿來管教我們, 來安慰我們。
詩篇23:5「在我敵人面前, 你為我擺設筵席；你用油膏了我的頭, 使我的福杯滿溢。」當我們繼續行在這條義路上，也不會從此一帆風順，敵人總會出現的，這次我們面對敵人就是Coronavirus；它打亂了我們的生活方式，它打亂了我們一切的安排。但是如果你以耶和華為你的牧者，祂要我們敵人面前, 為我們擺設筵席，我們可以得勝這個可怕的敵人，它成為我們經歷神恩惠的機會，它成為我們人生中的經歷, 我們可以向我們身邊的人，甚至我們的後代，傳講祂奇妙的作為。
因為祂用油膏了我的頭, 當羊受傷時, 牧人就是醫治受傷的羊，其中一個方法就是用油來膏牠。大衛說神是我的牧者，祂帶領我得勝敵人，當我受傷的時候，祂用油來膏我，使我得醫治； 而且更使我的福杯滿溢。我們面對敵人，無論是經濟的敵人，是健康的敵人，是關係的敵人，我們不是僅僅的得勝，我們是得勝有餘的，這才能稱為福杯滿溢。
教會，我們面對Coronavirus 這個可怕的敵人，我們不單要得勝它，更要得勝有餘, 我們祈望聽見你向我們述說得勝的見証。