“Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for you are with me; your rod and your staff-they comfort me.” Psalm 23:4 CSB
In the Message translation, the verse reads like this: “Even when the way goes through Death Valley, I’m not afraid when you walk at my side. Your trusty shepherd’s crook makes me feel secure.” This verse is one of the most quotable Scriptures you will here, often in this form, “Yae, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou are with me; thy rod and thy staff comfort me.” (KJV). Whichever translation you read, they all agree about one thing, you are in a valley. You are at the lowest point between two mountains, and you are not alone. God is with you, He’s walking beside you, He may even be carrying you. One thing is certain, He is with You.
One of my favorite poems I have cross-stitched and given to many people over the years is Footprints in the Sand, the author of which is unknown. When I’m in the valley, this poem comes to mind, I imagine myself being carried by God, only one set of footprints in the sand, until I gain the strength to walk again. Read these words from this infamous poem, take time to meditate on them and let them sink into your soul.
One night I dreamed a dream.
As I was walking along the beach with my Lord.
Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life.
For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand,
One belonging to me and one to my Lord.
After the last scene of my life flashed before me,
I looked back at the footprints in the sand.
I noticed that at many times along the path of my life,
especially at the very lowest and saddest times,
there was only one set of footprints.
This really troubled me, so I asked the Lord about it.
“Lord, you said once I decided to follow you,
You’d walk with me all the way.
But I noticed that during the saddest and most troublesome times of my life,
there was only one set of footprints.
I don’t understand why, when I needed You the most, You would leave me.”
He whispered, “My precious child, I love you and will never leave you
Never, ever, during your trials and testings.
When you saw only one set of footprints,
It was then that I carried you.”
He’s whispering the same thing to you today, whether you are in a valley or on a mountaintop, He is with you. He has the strength to carry you if He needs too. He’s carried me many times in my life, I’m sure He’ll carry me many more times. In Him I trust, and so can you.
