Several years ago it was the plan of the Russian Communists to bring the We.st to her knees as far as the Berlin partitioning was concerned by starving out people in the Western sector. They cut off all of the high ways and rail lines leading into the city and it was a desperate situation in the cold war. But, strategically, the United States gained the upper hand by flying in huge plane loads of food. Bomber after bomber landed in West Berlin and the ineffective block ade was soon lifted. Help came from above. As we look about us, it may seem at times that all of the lines of supply have been cut off. How foolish we are only to look about us and not up! God always has the supply line open to bring us every need we may have. “Thou anointest my head with oil.” Frequently, in Old Testament times, whenever a guest came into the home it was a part of the Oriental custom to anoint the individual with per fumed oil. Generally each household made its own and sometimes the fra grance was so distinctive that one could identify the family with which he had been staying. God anoints us with the oil of gladness so that we might remember the fellowship and communion we’ve had with Him, and desire to hasten back to the sacred tryst.
Oil, of course, speaks of the Holy Spirit. That we are anointed on the head suggests empowerment fo r service. The mind is the thought cen ter, the area where God needs to be given complete control. Oil was also used by the shepherd, carried in his cruse, to be used for healing as it was placed upon the bruises and cuts. It had real restorative value for the sheep. An Indian translation of this portion says, “He puts His hands upon my head and all the tired is gone.” What a beautiful, picturesque form of speech. The heads of the sheep cracked in the sun and the oil healed that difficulty too. Finally, the last part of this 5th verse is, “My cup runneth over.” God has done so much for us that we fre quently take His merciful bounties for granted. It’s so easy to do. In the broad Scottish translation the phrase is “My cup is teeming full.” Here is God’s blank check for us. Who of us, despite our situation, can say that here in Ametica we haven’t been re ceiving a cup full to overflowing of blessings? On whom does your cup overflow? Too often for most people it overflows simply on self, rather than upon the needs of others. Think for a moment about the cup from which Christ drank. Can you picture with your mind’s eye a con tainer big enough to hold all the sin fulness of humanity? Think of the poison in the heart of man. Christ tasted the cup of death for every man that we might drink the eternal wa ter of life. The Saviour came to give us life and that more abundantly. Finally in the sixth verse we have the familiar words, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.” The word “surely” rings forth a note of certainty. There is no element of doubt here whatso ever. Has the Lord ever failed you? He is the same yesterday, today and forever. Even as the refreshing wa ter followed the children of Israel through the wilderness, so goodness and mercy are on our trail. Goodness
Thwe are many unique ways to witnessfor Christ. Here a group of young people gather to hear the testimony of a Biola student in the new recreation centerofthe Student Union building. The structure was built throughfunds made posible by Biola students themselves.
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