One-minute read.
Protective Comfort
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.
Psalm 23:4
Portraying the Lord as a Shepherd, David gives us a picture of a caring, providing, and protecting heavenly Father, concerned with the welfare of His sheep. The rod and staff come in handy for keeping the wild animals at bay, clubbing the predators, and gently controlling the sheep, steering them from harm’s way. Shepherds keep constant vigilance over their flock, night and day, leading them through the hills and valleys.
God protects us from things we will never know about until we reach heaven. Guiding and directing us, we need not fear evil. Sometimes, the Lord allows uncomfortable events that challenge our faith into our lives. Health diagnoses, tragedies, and relationship problems we didn’t see coming all take us through the valleys of life. During these times, our Shepherd leads us through them, putting us back on stable ground.
“Even though I walk through the valley of death, God’s with me,” I said at my mother’s funeral. Standing before the congregation just days after her passing, I felt the Lord’s comfort as I uttered the words. In our darkest days, God wraps His arms around us, carrying us through them. We can count on the Lord’s protective comfort, no matter what the situation. In Him, we can trust.
Application:
God protects and comforts us.
Prayer:
Lord, thank You for shepherding us through the trials of life, comforting and protecting us from evil. Let us lean into You on the dark days, allowing You to carry us when we cannot walk. Help us live in Your peace that surpasses all understanding as we place our trust in You.
IJNIP. Amen
