Hope you'll forgive a few more thoughts on Psalm 23 (the Psalm I've been "memorizing" even though most all of us already know it by heart--I need all the help and positive reinforcement I can get when it comes to my sorry memory).
Okay, I'm a mighty slow learner, but it's only been since I started committing this Psalm to heart--which means taking it to heart, a whole different thing--that a critical distinction jumped out at me. David, the writer, switches from talking abut the Lord in the third person ("He makes me lie down...He leads me...") to referring to Him in the second person ("You are with me...You prepare a table before me..."). Have you ever noticed that?? I mean, that's not "proper" writing, is it?
Oh yes it is!! Seriously, go back and look at Psalm 23. Right smack dab in the middle--in verse 4--the writer switches...and it's as if the Almighty Lord has suddenly become the adored Abba. Almost like David moves from an intellectual knowledge about God and His greatness to an intimate and deeply personal understanding of his heavenly Father.
And here's the thing--it happens right as David begins talking about sorrow, hardship, and fear. It's as if walking through that deep, dark valley of the shadow of death has brought David to a whole new level, a whole new understanding and realization of who the Lord is and how His Heavenly Abba is with him and loves him every single moment.
Oh how I love that, because it's the hidden, beautiful secret of suffering. In our darkest moments, the glorious, awesome Lord of the universe suddenly can become our dearest, Heavenly Daddy who holds us so close and loves us so dearly.
I've seen it in my own life again and again. In those hardest of times, when the walls closed around me and fear constricted my heart, the Lord's presence became so real, so near, so incredibly precious. In Janie's ICU room, in the blackness and loneliness of the midnight hours, the presence of God felt palpable. The room pulsed with His glorious but loving, enveloping, sustaining presence. Goodness, my words are so completely inadequate, but it's true and as powerfully real and tangible to me right this moment as it was four years ago.
In the valley of the shadow of death, if we will turn to our Abba and cry out to Him, we will come to know, love, and enjoy Him in far greater and deeper and sweeter ways than ever before. The shadows become a path to the radiance of His goodness and grace. The Almighty Lord becomes our Heavenly Daddy. The shadows of death bring the Son of Life. We crawl into His lap and are loved, so loved and held.
Today, I don't know what fears or sorrows or difficulties might be casting their dark, frightening shadow over you or those you love. But here's what I do know:
In the darkness, His Light shines brightest, for He is the Light of the world. "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." (John 1:5)
In the shadows, you can come to know the Lord of the universe in deeper, more intimate and sweeter ways than ever before. What was once theoretical becomes wonderfully realized and personal. And there's nothing like that closeness. Nothing. "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." (Ps.23:4)
Thank You, Father, thank You for being our Good, Good Shepherd who made us, knows us, loves us, cares for us, forgives us, empowers us, and walks with us every moment of every day and every night. Thank You that even in those places of our greatest fears and deepest sorrows, You are with us, holding us, and somehow, someway using and redeeming it all for our good and your glory. (Romans 8:28) We don't know how, but You've promised us this in Your never-failing Word, so we place our trust in You--our changeless, perfect, sovereign, loving Savior.
Jesus, You endured the worst of death, so that we might pass only through the shadow of death. You suffered death forsaken and alone, so that we might never ever be alone in our sorrows. And You defeated sin and death, so that we might have unconquerable, eternal hope that You will defeat and overcome the sin, failure, and fear in our lives as well. "I have said these things to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
Thank You, Father, that no matter what the future holds, no matter what we must walk through, we know, know, know that "You. Are. With. Me." Always and forever.
Our Lord...our Daddy. Oh how we thank You and love You, Abba.
To God be the glory.
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