Dash of Thought July-August 2026

You prepare a table before me … my cup overflows. (Psalm 23:5)
 
Many people use the summer months to leave their familiar four walls for a few days or even entire weeks – for an outing, vacation, trip, or camp. I fondly remember times like these, which we spent, for example, hiking. Back in the day, when we were with the kids, one of the highlights was always the picnic from our backpacks, sometimes even featuring cervelats – the Swiss national sausage – grilled over a fire. If there was no table at the picnic spot, we’d simply lay our picnic blanket on the ground and, sitting in a circle, enjoy what we’d brought along and spread out on the blanket.
This reminds me of the fifth verse of Psalm 23. After all, it doesn’t actually mention a table as we know it. Back then, very few people owned tables. And they certainly didn’t carry them out to the sheep pasture. Usually, they used leather mats or animal hides laid on the ground as “tables.” They served their food on them – just like when we have a picnic.
What a beautiful image! As we journey through life, occasionally facing obstacles and hardships (“enemies”), sometimes even in the “valley of the shadow of death” — God offers us a “picnic”: a moment to pause, rest, recharge, share with one another the gifts of creation, as well as joy and sorrow, encourage one another, and in this way nourish ourselves and gather strength. – Do we notice how here the “good Shepherd” becomes the “good Host,” who gives us from his abundance what we need to live? The spread-out mat reveals to us the riches we have in God. He nourishes both body and soul. He invites us to baked bread – and to the Bread of Life.
As his guests, we are invited to take a seat at his table and enjoy his gifts. Will we discover the spread picnic blanket that he will lay out for you and me in the coming days and weeks – in sometimes surprising places and at completely unexpected moments?
My wish for you is that during this summer season, you may experience how the “good host” generously sets a picnic blanket for you – and that you may dare to sit down, enjoy it, and continue on your way renewed and strengthened.
 
Bishop Stefan Zürcher 
 
 
Image: Pixabay