Published by There is no need to fear when He is here
“Yea, 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, NKJV).
A story once told by Louis Armstrong recalls that when he was a boy, he was sent to the pond to get some water for his elderly neighbor. Louis said that when he was filling the bucket, a head rose out of the water and he saw two of the meanest eyes he had ever seen. When he ran back to the house, the lady asked him where her water was. He told her that he could not fetch it because of the gator in the pond. She replied, “That old gator has been there for years and he is most likely more afraid of you than you are of him.” Louis replied, “If he is as afraid of me as I am of him, that water ain’t fit to drink.”
Fear is not altogether a bad thing. I wish more folks had a healthy respect for and fear of our awesome God. I wish folks feared dying without God and without Christ. But I also know that everyone, in spite of what they might say, has some fear of death. We can only experience death once and we don’t know much about that experience until then. The Bible makes the case that we would live better lives if we faced the fact of our death. “We all must die, and everyone living should think about this” (Eccles. 7:2). It seems that David knew he would someday make that journey and his words teach us some important things to remember.
· David knew that he had no reason to fear death’s power. At the end of summer David would have made the journey with his sheep from the lowlands to the highlands where fresh water and tender grass could be found. He compared his future journey to that. But he knew how he had led the sheep through the valley to the good pastures. And, he knew that the LORD would lead him through the valley when the time came.
· David did not fear death because he knew the presence of God in his life. “I will fear no evil; for you are with me.” Victory comes when we face death with the LORD. Others may try to comfort and console you, but only God can lead you through the valley.
‘Everyone must die once, and after that be judged by God” (Hebrews 9:27, NCV). It is a journey we must all take. The most important question for all of us is this – who will be with you on your journey through the valley?
Bill Anderson, Pastor
Pineville Christian Church
www.PinevilleChristian.com
