“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4)
What a beautiful day it is today! Oh sure, the weather outside is quite pleasant, but I mean it is beautiful with my soul. Living in the Midwest I know the weather will change – frequently and sometimes violently. Life changes all the time. Friends and family often change. But praise God He never changes!
All morning long I have pondered in my heart what I could share with you today and the phrase “...thy rod and thy staff they comfort me” has been running through my mind. Even during church I had a hard time concentrating (Sorry, pastor) because this phrase just kept burning into my heart.
I’ve told you before I have always had a hard time receiving correction, but somehow this verse doesn’t bother me because I know the One holding the rod and the staff and I trust Him. Looking back at the Ark of the Covenant it is interesting that God included Aaron’s rod as one of only three items contained therein. The Ark contained a bowl of manna, the tables of the covenant (believed to be the Ten Commandments), and Aaron’s rod. The golden bowl of manna signified the provision of God during their wanderings in the wilderness, the Ten Commandments signified the leadership of God as they became a nation, and the rod of Aaron signified (among other things) the correction of God when the Israelites strayed. These three things marked them as the chosen children of God and gave them comfort.
It is interesting that in this verse David identifies the valley of the SHADOW of death. Not necessarily the reality of death but just the threat of it. The writer to the Hebrews relays our deliverance from this in this manner: “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”
One of the main reasons we don’t do what God tells us to do is because it calls for our death – the death of my dreams in submission to His will, the death of my plans to accomplish His desire, the death of my pride to give way to His Spirit of servitude. Listen to what you (or someone you might know) says next time: “Oh, I couldn’t do that! I’d be embarrassed to death!” or “I would just die if I had to…”. We condemn ourselves by our own words.
Even when we are afraid we might die (either physically or figuratively) God promises to be there with us. He brings along His rod and His staff to assure us safe passage. We’ve already talked about the staff a little bit. The shepherd uses it to keep the sheep on the path with a gentle nudge on one side or the other, to get the sheep’s attention, to “steer” it, if you will. The gentleness with which he uses that staff depends upon the obedience of the sheep and/or the seriousness of the situation. The staff, however, had a different application. If a sheep happened to be off the path and in a tight place where it couldn’t get out, the shepherd would hook the sheep with the crook on the staff and pull it out to safety.
David was quite familiar with both of these instruments, having been a shepherd himself. The rod gave direction, the staff gave salvation. How beautiful, then, that he would relate this to his relationship with God. Even the most devout among us can find themselves in the middle of something they can’t escape on their own. It may be the result of a blatant disobedience or it may be the outcome of trying to help someone and getting trapped. Either way we have the assurance that there is, therefore, no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. God, Who Is mercy, comes to our aid when we call out to Him and rescues us from our troubles.
My friend, I don’t know if you attend church regularly or not. That isn’t the question at stake today. Is your heart right with God? Are you submissive to the gentle prods and taps of His rod, or are you one who constantly needs Him to come with His staff to pull you out of yet another situation? Do you seek to know His ways? Do you desire to become more like Him? Is Jesus the Lord of your life (not just your Savior)? David was writing in this whole chapter of his relationship with God and the blessings on his life because of it. Personally, I think it’s a shame we only use this chapter at funerals. Sure it is comforting – but to whom? And why? I think every Christian needs to memorize this chapter (it’s only six verses long) and repeat it from time to time in their lives.
We all encounter those valleys of the shadows of death occasionally. Whether it is a negative report from the doctor, phone calls from bill collectors, the depths of depression, fear – whatever it may be. There is no condemnation in Christ for being in these positions. Instead, He offers to come alongside us and rescue us, to save us. But more importantly, He offers His rod of leadership and guidance to all who will submit. No matter where you find yourself today, cry out to Jesus. He WILL save you. He WILL deliver you. He WILL bind up your wounds and see to your healing. That’s what He wants to do for you. Even during the dark times of life He wants to be there to guide you through the shadows, to help you find your footing when you can’t see the way. Let Him be the lamp unto your feet and the light unto your path. This world is dark, but for the Christian it isn’t the end. Come join us on this journey called life – life eternal.
Be blessed.
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