A psalm of David.
...."4 Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me."
Psalm 23 is arguably one of the top ten most recognizable pieces of scripture in the world. It is a psalm of hope, it is a psalm of love, it is a psalm that speaks to a place where each one of us has been at some time in our lives, a dark, dark valley.
In verse 4 the line "through the valley of the shadow of death" can also be translated as "through the darkest valley." Have you been there? Have you been to that place spiritually where you have been beaten down, where you think that with the next swing of the devil's boot you will surrender, that place where you look up desperately seeking a glimmer of light and there is none that filters down?
You are not alone, in all of our lives we find ourselves in this lonely and miserable time. It seems as though there is no hope and even though you keep your eyes on Jesus the enemy keeps advancing, even though you pray your request remains ungranted, even though you praise in the darkness you can't find lasting peace. Welcome to the pit, welcome to the darkness, welcome to a place that believe it or not Jesus is waiting to for you in.
I feel your frustration, I know your pain, I totally sympathize with your desire to pull out your hair and yell at the sky, "why are you allowing me to go through this." The old cliche says that sometimes we can't see the forest for the trees, it is at these times that statement is often the truest. In these moments God is close to us. He is the good shepherd seeking to show us the way back to the fold, he gently nudges us with his staff to get us moving along.
This dark valley comes to us each in different forms and ultimately to all of us in the same form, death. Through life even the most righteous man endures hardships that place him in these caverns. What defines our character is not whether we avoid the valley, but how we choose to climb out. Do we lean on Jesus to show us the way out or do we rely on our devices and put our faith in our strength? I hope that you and I realize when we are in the dark we don't see clearly and that when we put our faith in the wrong things it only drops us deeper into the darkness.
A man who stumbles around in the darkness will grab onto anything to pull himself up. A smart man will light his lamp and examine the device he puts his faith in before hoisting himself up. If you, like me, find yourself in the valley remember to to turn on the lamp and allow the light to shine clearly for you so that you might set your feet upon the right path.
Psalm 119:105
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
John 8:12
Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
Psalm 23
A psalm of David.
1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.
4 Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.
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