Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death

Study of the 23^rd Psalm – continued – Yea though I walk through the valley of death…..

Continuing on with Phillip Keller’s book A shepherd looks at Psalm 23

Last week we looked at “Paths of Righteousness” and what that meant to us.  We talked about following and the seven attitudes we need to have to follow Christ in those paths.

Today we will continue on with “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death” and see what parallels we can draw from this passage.

During the summer months it is quite normal for a shepherd to drive his sheep to higher ground where they will stay all summer. He does this by taking them through many valleys.  Many times this involves many days on this “drive”.  The sheep move along slowly feeding as they go.  After the summer the shepherd then brings them back to the lower pastures as he stays ahead of the early snow of fall and winter.

During this time the flock is entirely alone with the shepherd.  Remember when Samuel came to Jessie’s house to anoint one of his sons as King, and David the youngest was out with the sheep and had to be sent for? He was high up in the hills tending the flock.

David knew first hand the dangers of the trail.  As the sheep started up the hills to the summer pasture they would encounter many things.  Raging rivers from the melting snow, avalanches; rock slides; poisonous plants; predators and awesome storms of sleet and hail.  David was acquainted will all of these things and knew how to manage them.    We know this from the rest of the verse “ I will not fear, for you are with me”.

So what does this have to do with us??  How does this apply to our Christian life?  Many times we say we want to go to “higher ground”.  In fact there’s a song by that name.  We speak of mountain top experiences.  But it is though we think we can get there by being “air lifted”.

Just as with managing sheep, so it is with us.  They only way we’re ever going to get to “higher ground” is by making the climb up the hill!  Remember the verse says “though I WALK THROUGH the valley of the shadow of death”.  It doesn’t say we STAY there!

Everyone one of us has gone through that valley in some way in our lives.  If you haven’t, stand by because you will.  It may not be a physical death of someone you’re close to but possibly something you yourself had to die to.  An experience where you felt totally alone and overcome with fear.  A valley.  At that point we come to a quiet realization that our good shepherd is with us.  We will reach the summit because He has promised he will never leave us or forsake us.  That is when we move onto higher ground and trust that He will take care of all the predators, the storms and anything else that may be on the path.

Another reason a shepherd will take the sheep to the mountains by way of the valleys is because it is a well watered route.  There is refreshing waters that the sheep draw from on their long trek to the top.  As Christians we also will discover that it is in the valleys where we receive that much needed refreshment from God.  Again, we go back to the “water of the word”.  When we are in our deepest valley, God speaks to us ever so gently from his living word.

Another reason why the rancher will take his flock into the high country through the valleys is that it is where the richest feed and best forage is found.  They move along gently, usually great meadows are found in these valleys and the sheep feed as they move along toward the high country.

During this time the shepherd is aware of the storms that can break out, the predators that are there but because the shepherd is there the sheep are safe.

Just as with us.  As we go through this thing we call the Christian life, we can be assured that though storms break out around us, predators come at us, our Good Shepherd knows it all and he is there to protect us. Again we feed on his word and it fills us up!    Remember, we are walking THROUGH the valley, we’re not staying!  We have great “meadows” to feed on as we travel upward.  We feed on the word, the living word of almighty God.

The sheep are well fed, well watered and ready for their summer on the “higher ground” because they have come through the valley with their shepherd leading them.  So can we be, as we stay in His word, stay in prayer, we also are ready to feast on that mountain top when we have come through the valley.