Thou Art With Me

"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." Psalm 23:4

The 23rd Psalm is one of the most beloved, recognized and memorized passage of Scripture in all of the Bible.  It is the "go to" resource in times of fear, sorrow, grief and pain when strength and reassurance are needed.  It is also a source of great encouragement and a reminder of the provision, protection and great love of God toward his own.

As we endure the COVID-19 induced crisis, we find ourselves in the midst of the worst human and economic tragedy of our lifetime.  People are dying, losing loved ones, and losing jobs, homes and hope.  It is at times like these that the 23rd Psalm breaks through like the rotating beam of a cliff top lighthouse in the midst of a tempestuous storm, verse 4 in particular.

I marvel at the power and depth of the verse.  Essentially it supplies that we can be fearless in the darkest of circumstances (as dark as death itself), due to the presence, care and leadership of God.  To get the full impact of what is being expressed, it is important to know that God is our personal Shepherd whose function is to care for his sheep.  He does so by personally guiding us to places of rest, sustenance and refreshment.  It is also important to know that the path on which he leads us is one of righteousness.  It is while following that Shepherd on that path that we can find ourselves in "the valley of the shadow of death."  That tells us that 1) the path of righteousness can go through some very dark places, but it is no less the path of righteousness and 2) that no matter how dark the times or places, the Shepherd has not abandoned us but goes ahead of us, protecting us and charting our course to light.  If a third consideration were to be added, it would be that as long as we stay on the path and keep the Shepherd in front of us, there is no cause for fear at all.

Beloved, having recently done an in depth study of this passage, it has become one of the most significant in my life.  I have always known that it was there but I now have a fuller understanding of what it means, particularly in dark times like these.  It is my prayer that you would take another look and reconsider what the Spirit of God is revealing to you.

May we all find confidence, comfort and peace in the presence, protection and provision of our Lord.

Increasing in faith,

Lee