Reflections on the Road: Week Ten

Reflections on the Road

Week Ten

The Presence of the Shepherd

Focus Passage: Psalm 23

Focus Verse: Psalm 23:4

Bible Reading: Luke 20-John 2

      Storms, thunder, lightning, rain, and wind.  None of those things usually equate to a good night's sleep for anyone, but especially not for children.  There was a time a few years ago when a particularly bad storm rolled through the Panhandle of West Virginia.  The intensity of the storm shook our windows, lightning filled our rooms, and rain drove against our house.  Needless to say, our three children woke and they quickly traversed messy bedrooms, somehow by a miracle they did not get injured, and they jumped into our bed.  They were noticeably scared.  Their hearts were racing, and a few tears were being shed.  But as they nestled closer to my wife and me, their hearts became calm, their tears dried up, and they were so calm that they fell asleep.  What I found interesting is that the storm did not end when they came into our room, nor did it diminish in the least (if anything the storm got worse).  The only thing that changed in the equation was the presence of my wife and me.

      The same truth can be said about our walk as Christians.  Our last devotion ended with the valley of the shadow of death.  We mentioned that this valley is scary and doesn't seem to contrast with the green pastures and calm waters.  But this is the place where the shepherd leads.  His leading is the same, He did not direct you to this moment by mistake.  The Good Shepherd reminds us that not all of life will be mountain tops, but there will be valleys mingled along the way.  How do we manage those valleys?  Psalm 23:4 says "I will fear no evil, for thou art with me."  Notice the testimony of the sheep is not the absence of evil.  No Christian can say "I've lived a life of total ease devoid of problems."  Evil surrounds us, we are not immune to it but we need not fear it.  Evil is rearing its ugly head in our world.  Hatred, division, and depravity as evident but that does not mean we recoil to fear.  Instead, we can rest in the promise given to all of God's sheep, thou (Good Shepherd) art with me.  O' the rapture of this beautiful promise from God, o' the joy that should flood our souls!  No matter if it is the valley high or the mountain below we can know without a shadow of a doubt our Good Shepherd is with us.  Joshua 1:9 says "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”  God has not called His sheep to be enslaved to fear but to rejoice knowing that He is with us.  He has not left us nor abandoned us in the moment of distress.  He is there and He will never leave you.

Reflections on the Road:

Have you found yourself lately distressed, discouraged, depressed, etc?  Has the dark shadow of fear started to take hold of your heart?  If so, please turn off the screen and the noises that drive fear and instead open the Word of God and rest in the promise of verse four "I will fear no evil, for thou art with me."  You need not fear, the shepherd has not left you high and dry.  He is with you in the midst of this scary and uncertain time.  The Good Shepherd is Jesus, who goes by another name, Immanuel, God with us.  He is here for you and He cares for you.  Rest in His leading and unending presence.