He Is With You Even In The Valley

“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”. Psalms 23:4

A sheep that walks ahead of the shepherd will most likely end up in the valley of danger. They might bring hurt to themselves and can even cost their lives as well. Normally a sheep’s life is very much dependent on the shepherd who looks after them. The good shepherd who takes care of them will safely guide them each day to the green pastures; lead them to the streams of quiet waters to satisfy their thirst, and will protect them from all kinds of dangers and predators. Those sheep that follow the shepherd closely will be taken care of so dearly by the shepherd. But those wayward sheep that went astray in their own path are walking out of shepherds love and protection; eventually will destroy themselves.

Sometimes in this life we can be like a wayward sheep that goes astray from the shepherd and puts ourselves in great danger and problems… “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death”. What can you see from this verse? The Bible doesn’t say, “Even though the Lord leads me through the valley of the shadow of death…” The Lord will never lead His people to the valley of danger. But the Word says, “Even though I walk through the valley…” Who is the ‘I’ from this Scripture? You might say, “Pastor Ben, I know Psalms 23 was written by King David; so the ‘I’ from this Scripture must be David”. You are right, it was written by David, and the ‘I’ is him. No doubts on that, but do you know that the ‘I’ can be you and me as well?

Often we are the ones who always walk ahead, before the Lord and go astray from His leading and put ourselves in the valley of danger. Because of our selfishness, greed and the wrong desires of our flesh, we might end up in the valley of death. Now see the word continues, “… for you are with me”, it simply means, even though we often go away from the Lord and put ourselves in the valley of danger and evil but the loving Lord will never leave us; but even there He will be with us. The Lord will never condemn us; He will leave the 99 sheep behind and go to the valley to find the one lost sheep (us).

When He has found the lost sheep, He will carry the sheep on His shoulder and rejoice with gladness. The Lord will rejoice for our return. This is what the Lord said about His loving nature in the parable of the lost sheep. “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep”. Luke 15:3-6.

Dearest, the Lord loves you so much; He never intended anything evil for you. The Lord does not have the heart to see His beloved end up in the valley of death. Stay close to Him and let Him lead you to the abundant life that He has prepared for you. No valley in this world is able to separate you from His love. He keeps you in the special place of His heart.