He Does Not Forsake You
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. —Psalm 23:4
Read Psalm 27
Life is not always smooth; the sun does not always shine on our path. There may be times when we are deeply burdened. What if your parents were suddenly taken away by an accident? Where would you go with all your grief? What if you became handicapped for the rest of your life? Or how would you feel if the doctor told you that you have an incurable disease? If any of these things happened, you would be faced with a long journey through a deep valley. If you knew nothing of communion with the Good Shepherd, then the blackness of night would descend on you.
Who knows what the future will bring? If tragedy does not mark your life, then it is only due to God’s goodness; His restraining hand spares from such hardship. But what if some of these things do hap-pen? Your urgent need may drive you out to the Lord. Unfortunately, the complete opposite could also occur, raising the question in your mind, “If there is a God, then…”
How different is the language of this Psalm and the viewpoint of the psalmist. He has learned to commune with the Good Shepherd. He understood that dark days would come. He learned to be thankful in prosperity, but also to be patient in adversity, committing his life to the Lord for the future. The Good Shepherd will not forsake him, not even in the valley of the shadow of death. It is as if He says, “I have already been here on your behalf.”
When you receive a glimpse of this goodness, you will be silenced. The Lord Jesus has gone before you into this valley of darkness, to-tally innocent. You and I deserve death. But the Lord Jesus entered this valley so that He might lead His flock into a safe place of rest.
Why does a child of God need not be afraid?
This devotional was taken from “The Time of Your Life” a daily devotional published by the Youth & Educational Committee of the FRC. To order a printed copy of this book, contact: bookorders@frcna.org.