Take a Walk with Me - Pt. 7

 

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 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. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. (Psalm 23:1-6 ESV).

 

Continuing in our “Take a Walk with Me” series brings me to one of the most beloved psalms of the Scripture. It has been read at innumerous gravesites as a means of comfort for those who are experiencing one of the darkest and most difficult times of their lives. When David says, “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.” (v. 4), he certainly had this kind of experience in mind. However, God comforts us in many other experiences as well as grief. I’ve chosen a story that is humorous now, though frightening at the time.

 

The picture I’ve attached was taken in Cades Cove, Tennessee. It is not unusual to see black bears as they move freely through this “wild” area. This bear had decided to climb a tree just off the road that loops its way around the cove. Of course, I had to attempt to get a photo. My camera is not equipped with special lenses. This “close-up” is taken from the base of the tree. Even though Mary cautioned me not to get out of the car, I had to get closer for the picture. There were some others who had done the same, so, I reasoned I was relatively safe. After taking several shots, this pose filled the screen and I snapped it. Proudly thinking how well I had done, I noticed the bear had decided to come down from the tree. Perhaps it was annoyed at the attention it was receiving from the crowd that had gathered, or maybe it simply wanted to go to another place. I couldn’t back up quickly enough! Making it back to the car, Mary simply said, “I tried to warn you.” Well, she did… I suppose there are times when God protects us even when we are not very smart!

 

In Psalm 23, God promises to protect his people in the many challenging, difficult circumstances of life. Chief among the promises here is the assurance of God’s presence. God promises to walk with us through green pastures and along babbling brooks when life’s pathways are clear and smooth. God also promises to be with us through thorny stretches, and even through “the darkest valley,” where we may face “the shadow of death,” as some translations put it. Those are paths that we tremble even to think about. He promises, “I am with you.” This means that wherever we walk, and in whatever circumstances we find ourselves, we are never alone.

 

Psalm 23 doesn’t promise that our lives will be easy or even safe. But with the promise of God’s enduring presence in our lives, we can walk boldly with him as we seek to serve him wherever we are.