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 23:4
Dorothy walks with special care and in fear down the yellow brick road with her new friends, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion. Each step they take into the dense and dark forest brings fear and dread. Talking trees with limbs that grab, flying monkeys that pick up things and carry them away, and the Wicked Witch. Each step into the forest brought them closer to Oz and closer to danger. There is no doubt they were fearful. “Lions and tigers and bears…OH MY!”
You can hear the chant over and over. What could they do? They had to follow the yellow brick road wherever it took them because their ultimate destination was OZ, which was at the end of the yellow brick road. They had no options.
You are the same. In your own specific paths in life, you experience fear and difficulty. So where do you look? How do you overcome your fear?
There is no need to fear
David is very clear when he writes that in the middle of dread of no hope he will not fear. Notice the picture. He is in a valley surrounded by large cliffs on each side. The tall and overbearing cliffs hide the sun. He is in great danger and even his life could be lost.
We don’t know what caused his danger. Maybe wild animals seeking him as food. Maybe armies against him. But David was confident in his response to this kind of dilemma. Either way, he said he would fear no evil. Fear was not part of his vocabulary because of the Lord’s presence.
There is no need to walk alone
Throughout the danger and difficulty, God provides His presence. God’s presence is something that you may not think much about during the course of your day.
The same presence of the Lord who was with David is also with you. Every day…if you are a Christ-follower. So what should the Lord’s presence mean to you? In this instance, the Lord is not leading you, but walking beside you. This is the way He works. Sometimes He leads and sometimes He escorts.
In many ways, it reminds me of personal bodyguards. They are present to guard and protect you. God is absolutely and without exception with us in our darkest times to accompany us through the pain. His presence means you can fear no evil.
We should celebrate the Lord’s presence!
The Lord carried two items every shepherd would have in his arsenal. The first was a rod. the rod was used to kill predators that would cause potential danger to the sheep. The second was a staff. The staff was used to lead the sheep.
As David looked around He understood very clearly that the Lord was there to protect and guide. That knowledge lifted the shadows of darkness and despair and replaced it with an assurance of His presence.
What an amazing promise to you this morning. The Lord’s presence should shine light on any fear you have and replace it with the light of His love. He doesn’t just love you in the good times; He loves you all the time. His love is real and His love is protection. He cares deeply for you. And even though you might walk through the valley of the shadow of death, you can fear no evil because the Lord is with you and He has a rod and staff that should comfort you.
Remember, in the valley, He isn’t leading, He’s escorting, providing and protecting. There is no need to fear. What an amazing Lord!