Archive article 33

 “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil, for you are with me, your staff and rod, the comfort me”

                                                                                                            Salmo 23:4

Underneath the wonderful comfort of this biblical text, is a truth we don’t often see.

What exactly is the comfort? It’s that of God’s presence when we are involved with an experience of death. It may be as we face an experience where our own death is threatened, or it may be that of a person who is dear to us, but the experience of death is certainly not a mountain top experience. In every way it is a valley! Whether or not it is as we accompany someone with a terminal disease, or the tragedy of an accident which snatches someone from us, the emotional response is the same. We are in a moment of profound grief which is often desperation. The valley of tears is an all too familiar expression and experience. However, what is promised is that the Lord is with us, and His presence is very reassuring.

However, we must know that this great and glorious hope is not that we do not cry! The text doesn’t tell us that there is no suffering. The guarantee of the Good Shepherd’s presence is not promise that we will not suffer. The protection which is promised is not against suffering but against evil!

When these huge waves of anguish sweep over our lives and our spirit is beaten down, the promise is that God will be beside us. His rod and staff are in His hand to protect us not from suffering but from “evil”. It is very often in those moments of human fragility that Satan seeks to inflict devastating blows on our Christian life. If he can convince us through subtle thoughts such as: “See, this shows God doesn’t love you”, or perhaps, “Look, wouldn’t it have been possible for God to have saved you from this disaster”, or even, “ Obviously you must have sinned and God is punishing you. Don’t you see you don’t deserve His love!”, he has won a great victory. It’s with all these assorted types of doubts and mental attacks that we are seriously threatened by evil!

Just think back to when after Israel was freed so incredibly from Egypt and crossed the Red Sea. As soon as they set out into the desert where water and food was scarce they “murmured” (Ex 16:2a). Instead of continuing to celebrate their unimaginable victory and release they began to complain. Even though God had showed Himself so powerfully through the ten plagues which so seriously devastated Egypt (ten plagues, not just one or two), at the first indication of suffering they bitterly turned on him and said that it would have been better to never have left Egypt at all.

What a lie! What a tragic evil! It is so typical of Satan to induce thoughts of abandonment and attribute to God such evil suggestions! God, the Good shepherd never promised an easy and cushy road but He did promise His presence and there was no such justification for the cry;

“It would have been better for us to have died in the Egypt.”  

Dear reader, the God of love has never promised us exemption from suffering! Every day we are liable to experience disappointments and upsets. But this must never let us attribute evil to God.

Never mistake protection from evil as a protection from suffering.

How wonderful! We need never fear evil!

 “His heart is secure, trusting in the Lord”

Psalm 112:7b . . .

this is the joyous place of rest for every believer of God’s Word.

                                                                            Paul Finch, pastor