The Valley

I read a very familiar Psalm 23 this morning and as typical if I am listening, the Lord spoke to me as was needed for the this moment.  Sometimes He is repeating Himself, going over what He has said to me many times before, sometimes to remind me, but more often because I hadn't quite learned the precept or truth He was sharing with me.  But other times He speaks a new word as was the case this morning.  Yea though I walk thru the valley of the shadow of death.

I've read over this Psalm many a times, been comforted and encouraged greatly by the fact that I have a loving, good and capable Shepherd watching over me, leading me, protecting and providing for me.  The Psalm affirms the great hope and future I have in Christ.  And so this morning, as I read, I wondered in my spiriit what the Holy Spirit wanted to say to me.  I found myself being lead to the valley, more specifically the valley of the shadow of death .... I thought about the shadow covering the valley.

Shadows can be quite comforting on a really hot day.  At other times though they can be dark and filled with gloom, both physical and metaphorical shadows as is the case of the shadow referenced in this Psalm.  I never really got that there was a shadow of death being walked thru, and the valley or lowest point of that shadow.  I kinda always just focussed on the valley part.  But I heard this morning that what I needed to focus on was embracing the shadow - casting emotions of gloom, sorrow and loss - either past or impending.  A loss typically does cast a dark shadow over what can be a beautiful valley experience.  As Solomon wrote, there is a time or season for all things and that includes mourning.  But we can walk thru those times with comfort and hope, with great expectations.

I love mountaintops - the vistas, the exhilaration felt when one reaches the summit and all that the journey has entailed.  But I also love the valleys and the richness of life that is experienced in them.  When you are on the top of the mountain, what are you focussing on when you look out?  You are either gazing down or off in the distance at the vista before you.  You are looking at where life is.  Though there are times they are difficult - more so than climbing to the top of a mountain, the valley, yes even the valley of the shadow of death, is where life is experienced.  They can be, if we let them, monotamous, a draining trudgery of the day to day, what could be seen as ordinary or low.  And even more so if there is a shadow being cast over - a heavy shadow of loss.  Yet I have come to find that in these moments there are lessons to be learned, joy to be experinced, bonds to be strengthened, hope and faith gets built up.  Embrace this moment, these times, knowing the God of all comfort is walking along with you.