In the Dark Valley, We’re Not Alone
Tuesday’s Verses:
From Psalm 23:4 ESV
“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.”
Some days, we have no strength. Some days, we’re in pain. Some days, we don’t know where we’re going, and all we can see is the shadow of what we don’t know. Psalm 23:4 doesn’t sugarcoat it. It doesn’t look at the valley and claim it’s not dark. It calls it what it is. It meets us there.
But it also promises we will never be there alone. God is not on the side of the mountain, waiting for us to slog our way back up. He walks with us. He is in that valley with us, in the shadow of our fear. The Shepherd walks beside the sheep. Christ walks with you.
His rod and staff are not just pretty metaphors. They are instruments of protection and comfort. The rod shatters the skulls of enemies. The staff draws the sheep close. They are a promise that God is not a passive bystander. He protects. He leads. He holds.
We Lutherans are fond of quoting this verse in seasons of sickness, pain, and struggle because in Luther we learned that God’s grace has nothing to do with our health, strength, or productivity. We are carried by Christ even when we cannot walk.
So if you find yourself in fear or weakness or uncertainty, don’t be embarrassed by it. Psalm 23: 4 does not call us to be brave. It calls us to trust. We are not required to be strong. We are reminded He is.
Prayers
A Prayer for Today:
Lord, I am not always strong. I am not always brave. The valley is dark and I cannot see the end of it. But you are with me, O God. Stay close, Lord. Guide me. Protect me. And when I cannot take another step, carry me in Your mercy. In Christ Jesus, my Shepherd and Savior, Amen.
Apostles’ Creed:
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer:
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Luther’s Morning Prayer:
I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands, I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.
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