Worship: Sundays at 8:15 am | 9:40 am | 11:00 am, Wednesdays at 6:35 pm
The Oil of Gladness

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.  You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of The Lord forever (vv. 5, 6)

One of the things we did, back on the farm, with our livestock - both cattle and sheep - is that we "anointed them with oil."  For the cattle, we had an apparatus that contained oil that the cattle would rub up against.  For sheep, as I remember, we "dipped" them into a tank that contained water that had "dip" containing oil and antibiotics.  The oil did two things: it kept the bugs from infecting the sheep and cows, and it also brought healing to any abrasions.

Can I press the analogy, as David does?  The healing oil of God, if we let Him apply it to us, keeps away the bugs of fear, disappointment, anger, etc that have the potential to wreak havoc, and the oil provides healing - healing to soul, mind, body.

Imagine with me, will you - God anointing your head, your heart, your back, your feet with healing oil, soothing oil, protecting oil, overflowing grace.  Oh my!

Know that you are surrounded this day with God's goodness and mercy - this day and forever.  Oh, and one more thing: be sure to extend that same goodness and mercy to everyone you meet, and even those you don't like!  Okay?  

Love and prayers, Dan

Alpha is the best "short course in Christianity" I know of; it presents the key ideas in a winsome way, in a setting of food, fellowship and total acceptance, where you make new, great friends, and it begins at Trinity on Thursday, September 10.  Try it.


Trinity United Methodist Church
4000 NW 53rd Ave | Gainesville, FL 32653
352.376.6615
Office Hours: Monday - Thursday, 8:30 am - 4:00 pm | Friday, 8:30 am - 1:30 pm