“Can God spread a table in the wilderness?

I was looking at a picture of my grand-daughter from a family picnic.

Glimpse - hair braided with care by another's hand,
 fine dessert dish, 
best ice cream and cookies,
 hand reaching with confidence knowing the kindness and love of the one giving the treat,
a table that was used generations before her at the family farm. Generosity, trust and life preserving and giving back to us over and over again through the generations.

I thought about the table and the lavishness of God towards me despite my sin and unbelief at times.

Reading this morning in Psalm 78: 19

and noticed a verse I hadn't noticed before and it challenged me -

“Can God spread a table in the wilderness? 
Many times we think there is no hope or there is not a way out or through our circumstances. We cannot see getting to the other side of challenges. 

"We look to our own means at times. 
"God is not limited to means-to any means, much less to one of my choosing."(CHS).  We can limit God as is recorded in this Psalm vs 41 "They ...limited the Holy One of Israel"



































There is not always a clear view of the future and we can forget the many ways we have been cared for in the past or delivered and relieved of hard circumstances- we need grace to see the way.

"God did great things for his people Israel when he first incorporated them and formed them into a people: Marvellous things did he in the sight of their fathers, and not only in their sight, but in their cause, and for their benefit, so strange, so kind, that one would think they should never be forgotten." (MHC)

The ESV Study Bible notes: God persevered with his people, they sinned and rebelled yet God was patient and will continue his purposes to the very end. The story is one of constant disbelief or the people in the face of God's unimaginable grace and provision, and even more grace being granted in the face of disbelief."

So God can spread a table in the wilderness!
The road ahead has twists and turns,
but we need to press on and pass on the recollection of God's great mercy and provision!

Psalm 78

"Give ear, O my people, to my teaching;
    incline your ears to the words of my mouth!
 I will open my mouth in a parable;
    I will utter dark sayings from of old,
 things that we have heard and known,
    that our fathers have told us.
 We will not hide them from their children,
    but tell to the coming generation
the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might,
 and the wonders that he has done. (Psalm 78:1-4)

"..that the next generation might know them,

    the children yet unborn,

and arise and tell them to their children,

 so that they should set their hope in God

and not forget the works of God,

    but keep his commandments; (Ps. 78:6-7)

Yet he, being compassionate,
    atoned for their iniquity
    and did not destroy them;
he restrained his anger often
    and did not stir up all his wrath.
He remembered that they were but flesh,
    a wind that passes and comes not again.
 How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness
    and grieved him in the desert!(Psalm 78:38-40)

Psalm 23 - Keith Green

Psalm 23
1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2     He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters
3     He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
    for his name's sake.
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
    I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
    your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.
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 mercy shall follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell  in the house of the Lord
    forever