Watercolor Devotional 4
by Jennifer Greene-Sullivan
Today, my best friend sent me a picture while she was shopping. At first glance, it looked like a lovely display of Christian gifts, devotionals, and Scripture-centered treasures arranged inside a rustic wooden table. The kind of display that naturally catches the eye of a believer.
Then I saw it.
Nestled among the books and gifts sat A Friend for Festus. My book. One of the children’s stories the Lord inspired me to write.
And the display itself?
The Shepherd’s Table.
I smiled immediately—not because I wondered if God saw my work. I already know He does. He inspires the stories in the first place.
That is what made the moment feel so tender.
This was not about validation. It was not about visibility or recognition. It felt like confirmation.
I have received a quiet whisper from the Father.
Psalm 23:5 says:
“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies…” (ESV)
That verse has always carried the imagery of provision, protection, and belonging for me. A prepared table is not accidental. It is intentional, set by the loving hands of the Shepherd Himself.
As I stared at that image, I began to wonder what happens when our offerings find their way onto His table.
Not because we forced them there.
Not because we perfected them.
Not because we chased applause.
But because we simply surrendered what He first placed in our hands.
James 1:17 reminds us:
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above…” (ESV)
That includes creativity. It includes stories, ideas, words, ministries, prayers, and callings that are born in quiet moments with Him.
If He is the giver, then stewardship becomes worship.
That thought stopped me.
Because the truth is, my books have never simply been products to me. They are ministry offerings. Seeds. Tiny acts of obedience placed into the hands of the One who inspired them.
And maybe that is what moved me most about the picture.
Not that my book was seen but that it sat on The Shepherd’s Table.
As if the Lord gently whispered: “Yes, daughter. Place it here.”
Because everything we create for His glory belongs there anyway.
HOW ABOUT YOU?
What has the Shepherd placed in your hands?
A dream you keep postponing? A ministry you feel unqualified for? A creative calling you have minimized because it seems too small? A prayer burden that keeps returning to your heart?
Spend time sitting with these Scriptures this week:
📖 Psalm 23:5 — The prepared table
📖 James 1:17 — Every good and perfect gift
📖 Colossians 3:23–24 — Work unto the Lord
📖 Matthew 25:14–30 — Steward what has been entrusted
Challenge:
Take inventory of what you have been holding. Then ask yourself honestly:
Have I placed this on the Shepherd’s table… or am I still clutching it in fear?
Surrender is not loss. In His hands, surrender becomes worship.
Prayer
Lord,
Thank You for every good gift You have placed in my hands. Thank You for inspiration, creativity, and the privilege of offering back to You what first came from Your heart. Teach me to steward every assignment with humility and obedience. Help me release what I have been holding too tightly and trust that anything surrendered to You is never wasted. May my life, my words, and every offering I bring find their rightful place at Your table. In Jesus’ name, amen.
#AgingEnglishMajor #TheShepherdsTable #Psalm23 #EveryGoodGift #CreativeCalling #FaithAndWriting #AFriendForFestus #ChristianAuthor #Stewardship #InspiredByHim #KingdomWork #HePreparesATable
The Aging English Major 