In The Valley

In the Valley

Psalm 23:4

July 22, 2018

I would like to say I’m a really tough dude! OK . . . I’ll say it, I’m a really tough dude! There I said it. But, there are some things I am afraid of. Maybe they are phobias, maybe they’re irrational, but I will admit, I own them. I won’t tell you stories about what I’ve done and not done about them.

But I will tell you this - - - I’m not a fan of spiders! Also, snakes get to me as well! I don’t like heights, either - I have a 10' ladder max. I love fire, but have a pretty healthy fear of it too.

What about you? What are you afraid of? It may be irrational, it may be totally rational and make sense to you, but to nobody else, that’s ok too. If we were to be really honest, we could make a huge list of things we are afraid of. There are lots of things out there to be afraid of, isn't there?

We live in a world which seeks to scare us. We see it in the media and in politics. Usually, when a politician is running for office, they tell you everything about their opponent that you need to fear. Sometimes, they don’t tell you what they are for, just why you shouldn’t vote for their opponent.

This was so evident 2 weeks ago when President Trump nominated Judge Kavanaugh for the Supreme Court. There was an organization which was against him, and here’s the thing, they had a prewritten statement meant to scare us before the selection was ever announced. Look at this tweet that came out after he was nominated. They had XX’s in place where the person’s name should go.

Can you believe that? But that’s the world we live in. Fear sells! Fear demands our attention.

Today, we’re looking a one verse that someone asked me to talk about. King David picks out the thing which might be what most of us are most afraid of. The valley of the shadow of death. Death is that last great enemy, isn't it? Most people are afraid of death. It used to be that we never talked about it. We would pretend it doesn’t exist. But we know it does. It’s still a result of that same fear of facing our own mortality. That’s life’s last great enemy.

Death is Satan’s last weapon. David could face life, knowing death was always around him, because he knew the Shepherd. David could live life, even through death, because the good shepherd promises that when the moment in life comes for us to die, He will be with us in that dark valley.

Jesus said, 2 In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?

3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. – John 14:2-3

Those are great words of comfort for the believer. When we have Jesus, we know, we trust, we believe . . . without a doubt? That we have eternal life. Hopefully you believe without a doubt! That’s so crucial and sometimes part of our issue. We kinda think we’re good, but we have our self doubts. It’s part of the roller coaster ride of faith.

In the midst of life, we can struggle with other enemies like pain, suffering, ridicule, disease, and injury. But strength and courage cannot overcome death. It has the final word. Only one person can walk with us through death's dark valley and bring us safely to the other side and that is our shepherd, Jesus, who has experienced death and conquered death. He's been there.

The phrase, "The valley of the shadow of death" is an actual location in Israel. It is south of the Jericho Road, leading from Jerusalem to the Dead Sea, and is a narrow pass through a mountain range. Grazing conditions make it necessary for sheep to be moved through this valley for seasonal feeding each year.

The valley is 4 ½ miles long. The mountains can be up to 1,000 feet high, and in some places, it’s only 10 to 12 feet wide. Travel through the valley is dangerous. (Fernando D'Alfonso is revered as a person who is a patriarch of the guild of shepherding.)

As you travel, there are ditches 7 or 8 feet deep. Footing on solid rock is so narrow in many places that a sheep cannot turn around. It can be a treacherous journey to the green pastures.

When you hear that, you can understand why David describes from a sheep’s perspective the valley of the shadow of death. But David knew all of that. Paul acknowledged the fear of death by making sure that we understood death was conquered by and through the love of Jesus Christ.