Tea for two

Louis Giglio, Pastor, and founder of the Passion Movement, recently released the book, Don't Give the Enemy a Seat at Your Table. Under the title are these words, "It's time to win the battle for your mind." I love that because, as every believer knows, the mind is the battlefield.

The book talks about Psalm 23, where God makes some powerful promises. He says He is our Shepherd, and He cares for our needs. The Psalm also says God prepares a table for us in the presence of our enemies. Louis Giglio says it's meant to be a table for two.Just us and Jesus. But when we pay attention to the enemies surrounding us, we invite them to pull up a seat. If we let them linger, they will eat our lunch and pop our bag.

I see a lot of Christians who've had their bags popped. One of the reasons is we don't slow down enough to sit and eat despite the standing invitation from the Lord. When we do, we snack and run. But Psalm 23 was written in a time and culture where people ate in a reclined position. To recline at a table meant you were joining a friend for a leisurely feast. They relished the unhurried intimacy of a shared meal.

But the Lord doesn't just invite us to a feast. He lays it out in the presence of our enemies. So, who are our enemies, and why doesn't the Lord run them off? I don't want to eat with a bunch of haters watching me!

Sadly, most of our haters are in our heads. My personal enemies are guilt and worry. As I've said in the past, anything in my head starting with "should" or "what if" I classify as enemies. They bid me to jump down a rabbit hole of guilt and fear. Your enemies may be different from mine. Your enemies may be the lull of pornography, pride, the desire to be

judgy, or gossip. No matter what our enemies are, we still have a table laid before us. An invitation to feast with the King.

Each morning I go to my favorite place to join Him. I listen to the birds sing and breathe Him in. My enemy Should is there and says, "shouldn't you be praising?" If I'm praising, Should says, "shouldn't you be praying?" What If soon whispers, "What if God's mad at you for not reading your Bible right now." That's me, sitting down at my table in the presence of my enemies.

Jesus won't run off the lies you entertain in your head. He said the truth will set you free. God's Word says we are saved by grace through faith in Christ Jesus and not by our own efforts or works (Ephesians 2:8-9). That's the truth that's setting me free. By that truth, I'm able to recognize my should's and what ifs as lying enemies that want to wreck my time with Jesus. They haven't magically gone away. I dine on His love in their presence, but it remains a table for two.

I don't know what your enemies are, but it doesn't really matter. There is still a table set before you. A standing invitation. The King of the Universe bids you to join Him at your table for two.

• Cris Corzine-McCloskey is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and Director of Caring Counseling Ministries. CCM is a not-for-profit corporation for the purpose of providing counseling from a Biblical perspective at an affordable cost to persons living in Southern Illinois. Our office is located at 11264 Route 37 Marion, IL. To make an appointment, please call (618) 997-2129.