Psalm 23: 4
“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.”
Twenty-three years ago, in the fall of 2002, the city of Washington, DC, and its suburbs were terrorized by two men, known as the “Beltway Snipers.” The killing spree lasted for a period of three weeks, resulting in the deaths of ten people and inflicting injuries on three more. Those struck down were just going about their daily lives. Among them were two men pumping gas, a woman buying household items at a Home Depot, another shopping at a craft store, a child on his way to school, a landscaper mowing his grass, a young woman sitting on a bench reading a book.
One day, during the reign of terror, as I walked to my car with a cart full of groceries, fear began to envelop me. I threw the bags into the back as quickly as I could and retreated to the safety of the driver’s seat. Immediately, the words of Psalm 23 came to mind, and I recited the entire passage out loud. Verse four, in particular, brought calm to my heart as I was reminded of these lessons learned from one of my Bible studies:
• shadows cannot hurt us
• shadows appear bigger than the source
• where there is a shadow there is light
Sitting there in my car, I prayed to the Father of Light that He would watch over me at that moment and all who were gripped by fear, that their hearts would be filled with His supernatural peace.
Many are walking through the valley of the shadow of death right now—dealing with a devastating diagnosis, battling a deadly disease, or grieving the loss of a loved one. Many are afraid of what the future holds. Other fearful shadows can grip us: chronic pain, depression, financial crisis, job loss, divorce, or discouragement may have caused fear to take hold. Dear readers, we need not fear the shadows! As we go through the valleys, may we be encouraged by this verse from Psalm 63:7-9: “Because You have been my help, therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice. My soul follows close behind You; Your right hand upholds me.”
Father in heaven, we praise You that You don’t change like the shifting shadows produced by the sun and the moon. You are consistent with Your love and care for us, and we can count on You. May Your Son, Jesus, Who is the Light of the world, illuminate our path as we walk through the valley. Let us not look down at the shadows but instead look up at the light of the Cross. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
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