August 15, 2024

Katie Deetjen
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Psalm 23:5

Verse 5 of Psalm 23 refreshes my soul. I imagine David speaking the words of this verse with a smile on his face. Having a cup that is not just full but overflowing is imagery that helps me grasp the abundant life to be found in my relationship with the Lord.

At the same time, the Psalm does not diminish the reality of what it means to live as mere humans in the world – we have “enemies” such as sin, temptation, sickness, death, and, of course, the devil. I can feel these burdens for myself, my family, and our society, and they sometimes prevent me from remembering that the ultimate battle has already been won through the work of the cross. Yet my shepherd anoints me with oil, overflows my cup, and reminds me that He is the God of redemption and abundant blessing.

My prayer is that Cypress Creek Church would be a place where we bear burdens not with our own strength but with the confidence that comes from being rooted in the anointing and filling we receive from the Spirit.