One morning, my father began sharing with me a moment that changed the course of his internal life (where most of us experience pain). It was a message he received at church one Sunday. He described how he initially was annoyed because it was his pastor’s daughter giving the sermon and he wasn’t crazy about that. Then, he described how God spoke to his heart and told him to “pay attention” And then he received a message that changed his life. She expounded on the passage about God preparing “a table before me in the presence of my enemies.” She described imagining a table with you at one end and God at the other. Then imagining each chair occupied by your personal enemies: identify them, she instructed everyone. Then see God, he’s right there, sitting with you among your enemies. See him. He’s right there. My father was crying, I was crying. We all have enemies inside of us. Get a piece of paper, draw a rectangle and 8 circles, one for you, one for God, and 6 for your enemies. Identify them. God has prepared a table for just you and him, and there your enemies sit, what will he do next?
