November 27

“Yea, though I walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, I will fear no evil for Thou art with me. Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” These words from Psalm 23:4 have perhaps lifted more people during their times of grief and loss than have any others ever penned.

The Lord’s rod protects and His staff leads the believer even through the dark tunnel we call death and His promise of salvation through Jesus’ sacrifice of Himself for our sins assures that the believer will emerge into the glorious light of Heaven’s indescribable joy on the other side.

One thing that this beautiful passage conveys when you read between the lines is the utter powerlessness of death over the one who has placed his trust in Jesus. For who could possibly fear a shadow? A shadow has no substance. It gains its presence by projecting something that blocks the LIGHT! Should the one who trusts the power of the Lord fear a mere shadow!

When we face death or any threat of danger, when we are unsettled by the long, dark shadow cast by our fear and by our sense of helplessness to overcome an intrusion into our lives that is too big for us to manage, may we look beyond the shadow and the threat that casts it to the LIGHT of Jesus that is always behind any shadow, always shining there to enable us to see His help in time of need.