In the Valley
July 22, 2012
Psalm 23:4
A few years ago, a church in Seattle, Washington was having a big kick-off Sunday. They wanted to do something for their children's programs. So they brought in Barney the Dinosaur. They learned, Kids like Barney when he’s on TV or in a stuffed animal. But when you bring in a 7 foot tall Barney, he becomes a little intimidating to kids.
In fact, the church had Barney scheduled for two weeks, they ditched him after the first week. But there he was. One little boy absolutely flipped out. His mom was teaching a Sunday School class, so she couldn't take him. So his dad took him and finally got him calm.
During the worship, the dad was supposed to help take the offering. The church met in a large warehouse and had partitioned off several areas to the side of their worship.
So the dad said to his son, "You stay here. I’ll be right back and you’ll be ok." But the dad didn’t know, that was also Barney's dressing room.
Right in the middle of the offering, Barney opens the door. This kid is trapped. He just goes wild. He’s screaming and everyone hears him. Barney doesn't know what to do, so he tries to help out by taking his head off.
The kid then starts screaming, "He's eaten someone. He's eaten someone!"
If we were to be really honest, we could make a huge list of things we are afraid of, including Barney. Some of them seem totally irrational, and we admit them, but they still bring fear. There are lots of things out there to be afraid of, isn't there?
David picks out the thing we’re most afraid of. The valley of the shadow of death. Death is that last great enemy, isn't it? Most people today are afraid of death. It used to be that we never talked about it. Now we talk about it all the time. But it is still a result of that same fear of facing our own mortality. That’s life's last great enemy.
Death is Satan's last weapon. David could face life, knowing death was always around him, because he knew the Shepherd. David could live life, even through death, because the good shepherd promises that when the moment in life comes for us to die, he will be with us in that dark valley.
The phrase, “The valley of the shadow of death” is an actual location in Israel. It’s south of the Jericho Road, leading from Jerusalem to the Dead Sea, and is a narrow pass through a mountain range. Grazing conditions make it necessary for sheep to be moved through this valley for seasonal feeding each year.
The valley is 4 ½ miles long. The walls can be up to 1,000 feet high, and in some places, it’s only 10 to 12 feet wide. Travel through the valley is dangerous. (Fernando D'Alfonso is revered as a person who is a patriarch of the guild of shepherding.)
Travel through the valley is even more dangerous because there are ditches 7 or 8 feet deep. Footing on solid rock is so narrow in many places that a sheep cannot turn around. It can be a treacherous journey to the green pastures.
When you hear that, you can understand why David describes from a sheep’s perspective the valley of the shadow of death. But David knew all of that. Paul acknowledged the fear of death by making sure that we understood death was conquered by and through the love of Jesus Christ.
That’s why in Romans 8:38-39 Paul writes, 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
If we’re in Christ, when it comes time for you to die you have nothing to fear, for there is one who will protect you, walk beside you through that experience. In fact, He’ll walk with you though all situations we move through in life.
God’s path will have detours and broken roads, green pastures and quiet waters; barren land and raging rapids. It will all be there. And we have to make that decision about which road we will travel. Sometimes God’s road will lead to the beautiful land that feels like those mountain top experiences, but the reality is ~
Even though I walk through
the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me.
Your road and your staff, they comfort me.
So, what does David tell us to do when we are walking through the dark valleys?
Let’s break this verse apart section by section. Remember, the shepherds led their sheep through an ominous looking valley. It was scary to go through, you didn’t know who or what was going to attack. Would the sheep stay on task and stay on the path? It was treacherous and scary.
Shadows are always frightening, especially the one cast by Death. Without a shepherd we are entirely helpless in its presence. Strength and courage help, but cannot overcome death. It has the final word. Only one person can walk with us through death’s dark valley and bring us safely to the other side and that is our shepherd who has experienced death and conquered the grave. He’s been there.
God promised He will protect us through the storms of life, giving us the courage and strength to make it to the other side. We need to look to God and what He offers us, so that we don’t become discouraged in the face of our dark and desperate times.
2 things I noticed 2 about the phrase I will fear no evil.
First: God doesn’t panic when we go through a problem. But neither do His sheep. The picture we get from this verse is that the sheep aren’t frightened as they pass through the valley. Notice this verse says that “I walk” through the valley. It doesn’t say – “I run.” It doesn’t say, “I shake in my boots.” No – it says “I walk.” I don’t need to panic.
Second: Look at the words, “I will.” “I will” is a matter of choice. "I will" fear no evil. “I will” overcome this problem. With God’s help, “I will” make it.
Maybe part of the problem is the need for an attitude adjustment. Refuse to be discouraged. You can’t go around the valley. You can’t go over the valley. You must go through the valley. I will not be afraid. Not because I’m strong and tough, but because I trust in the promises of God, even if I don’t like and understand his plan. Through it all, I will trust God’s plan and I will walk through this valley.
But there is even more to it then just willing yourself through your problems isn’t there? There is another reason why you should refuse to be discouraged. David reminds us of this great promise ~ For You are with me ~ Psalms 23:4
God is with you every step of the way. God promises His presence.
God will not fail you, He will not forsake you, He will not abandon you, He will not bail out on you. It does not matter how bad you’ve been. He won’t leave you!
Notice the tone of the psalm changes at this point. The Psalm becomes more personal. When you’re going through dark valleys you don’t want to talk about God – you want to talk to God. You want relationship. God says “I am with you. I will lead you through this.” We need to know and trust that God is right there with us.
We hold onto the fact that Jesus also said, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age” ~ Matthew 28:20. He is with us, always.
It’s God’s gift of Himself to us. He offers us His company, His companionship. We must be willing to follow Him. When we move through the difficult issues of life, often times we like to be alone for awhile, but there comes a point, when we decide we need more, we want more, and we seek relationships.
We not only need God, but we need one another, that’s one of the beauties of the church. When a church is working right, the people meet the needs of the people through the power and grace of God.
Ken Davis wrote, “Our problem is, we try to perpetuate the perception that we are perfect. But the person who can admit that they are not perfect is the one the shepherd leads. The shepherd does not lead the perfect, because they cannot admit the need to be led. The shepherd leads His sheep.”
I read about a woman who’s health had been rapidly deteriorating. When she needed an MRI, she kept saying to her daughter, “I can't go in there and stay in there, I'm too nervous” In the end, the woman peacefully made it through the MRI because her daughter held her hand and sang hymns to her. Fear no evil, for I am with you.
This verse ends with Your rod and your staff, they comfort me ~ Psalm 23:4.
The rod and staff are basic tools for a shepherd. The rod is basically two feet long and some have a knot at one end. Shepherds train to use the rod so they can protect the sheep. Many wild dogs lurk in the shadows of the valley, looking for prey. The shepherd would use his rod as a weapon. The sheep have no fear even in the Valley of the Shadow of Death, for their master is there to protect.
The staff is a long stick with a hook at the end of it. The staff is used to pull sheep out of a ditch or to pull them closer to the shepherd’s side. God has promised us His protection.
Jesus said, My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and NO ONE IS ABLE TO SNATCH THEM OUT OF MY FATHER’S HAND. John 10:29
Isn’t that great. When we’re in the Father’s hands, nobody can take us from His hands. That’s great!!
I want to step back and close with 3 quick thoughts about shadows.
1. Shadows are always BIGGER THAN REALITY. Often times, fear is greater than the problems we face.
2. Shadows cannot HURT YOU. Have you ever been run over by a shadow? There is a big difference between a truck and a shadow. Shadows can not hurt you – they can only scare you.
3. Shadows only appear when there is a LIGHT SOURCE. You may be in a dark valley right now – but there is a light at the end of the tunnel. The Bible says that God is light – and in Him there is no darkness. Trust that the light is God’s light, His presence, as He promises to be with us in the valleys of life.
