Psalm 23: He Anoints Me

Psalms 23:5

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:

thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

"He anoints me"

Anointing the sheep with oil was a way the shepherd guarded them. The lions, bears and other beasts he could fight off but for the little things that attacked the sheep, a different approach had to be taken. Little critters...Mosquitos, insects, lice, flies, and ticks would get in the sheep's wool, ears and nose and bother them.  Over time this could cause irritation, sickness, disease and death. I read that sometimes a sheep will bang it's head over and over against a tree trying to get the bugs to stop bothering it...eventually this kills the sheep. At times when these little bugs would bother the sheep the shepherd would anoint their heads with oil. The oil made their wool slick so the bugs could no longer cause trouble...they'd slide right off. 

The head (mind) is the easiest target. Things we see, and things we hear can enter and cause disease without us even knowing it. The Lord knows our mind is the devils playground. If the devil can get our mind we will be of no use to the Lord. Thoughts, attitudes, and feelings of negativity, discontentment, jealousy, and anger can seem so small but whatever we dwell on grows inside us. These can lead to bitterness and bitterness if not dealt with eventually leads to spiritual death. 

Our shepherd knows this and he's seen many sheep give up and die because of the little things..he doesn't want that to happen to me or you! We must let him anoint our heads with the oil. It'll take the oil. It'll take God himself slathering our minds with the anointing oil. Anointing is another word for consecration. Consecration shows dedication and devotion. The sheep knew the oil would protect them from small things that eventually turned into big problems. The little issues in our lives must be dealt with. I don't know about you but I want to be anointed. I want Him to pour oil all over me. I desire the touch of God's hands on my life. Verse 4 tells us we have his presence but if we want the power we must be anointed. Without the working and touch of God in my life I won't make it. I must yield to him and allow him to do as he wishes. 

One last thing about the oil..It was also perfume. The sheep probably didn't smell very good at times. So when they were anointed they smelled like the shepherd. Do you smell like the world or do you have the scent that you've been with Jesus? When the alabaster box was broken it filled the house (Matthew 26). There was no denying there was oil in that place. Jesus had been anointed...she poured out a special blessing on Jesus. The oil made her smell just like him. Let's allow the good shepherd to anoint our heads with oil...don't let the little things make you spiritually sick.