Yea, 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 23:4)
As I mentioned in the previous devotion, there is a place in the Judean wilderness that matches up perfectly with what David described as the valley of the shadow of death. It is very possible that, at some point, he led his father’s flock along the narrow road that winds through the canyon in search of pasture. In fact, on one of my visits to this place, our group witnessed a young shepherd guiding his sheep through this same valley; it was easy to imagine a young David doing the same. No doubt as he did, he was acutely aware of the many dangers that were present — a narrow road along a steep canyon wall. One misstep could mean death for him or any one of those in his care, not to mention the threat of predators and bandits. It stands to reason that he used his staff to guide, direct and, when necessary, correct his flock so that all would safely pass through this danger to the other side.
It is inevitable that, at some point in our life, it will become necessary for our Shepherd to lead us through the valley of the shadow of death. What that means exactly may vary from person to person but the point is all of us will be required to endure circumstances in which we are surrounded by dangers. Missteps could be highly consequential as our enemies lay in wait to exploit our mistakes. However, we have a Good Shepherd who stays with us throughout our ordeal. It may not seem that way at times, but rest assured, He is there. And like any other shepherd it may prove necessary for Him to goad and correct any wayward sheep to get back in line, lest they go stray and become lost and fall victim to the Adversary.
David said, “Your rod and Your staff comfort me” which implies that a shepherd’s stick serve a dual purpose. It is used as a rod to inflict sharp discipline when needed or to lead gently. It can also be used by the shepherd to lean upon and rest as the sheep graze in the pasture, but all the while keeping watch for danger. If a predator should threaten the flock, the staff can be quickly transformed into a weapon.
The point is David found comfort, not only in the fact that God allows us to enjoy green pastures and still waters, but also in the fact that He will correct us when need be — hard enough to sting when necessary. No one likes affliction but if it is God-induced, we can take comfort in knowing that, in the end, it is for our benefit. If we allow Him to fulfill His will in us, we have no reason to fear evil. In that vein of thought, let’s close with this: “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31).
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
Recent Comments