In the Presence of the Lord
Have you ever walked through a dark valley? Or gone through a challenging season of doubt and fear? How would your perspective change if you knew that God was right there in it with you? This is the promise He makes to us in the second half of Psalm 23.
Psalm 23:4-6
Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
These verses follow from the ones that describe a good shepherd who takes care of his sheep by leading them to rest, refreshment and provision. A good shepherd will never leave his sheep. A good shepherd will be with them all day everyday. In good times and bad, the shepherd will be there to care for them, to protect them, and to provide for them. That is his job, to be always present because the sheep cannot be expected to do these things for themselves.
Now, here is something that I recently noticed in these verses: the shepherd walks with the sheep through the darkest valley, and the shepherd lays out a table for the sheep in the presence of their enemies. Pay close attention to this. Turning to Jesus as your Shepherd, trusting in Him, and following His leading does not necessarily keep you from dark valleys and the presence of your enemies. I know we all wish that it did!!
However, allowing Jesus to shepherd you does mean that you have His promise to always be with you. He will use His rod to protect you. His staff will pull you close, guide you onto the right path, and push things out of your way. Not only does God promise to be with you in these challenging places, but He will be active on your behalf. Psalm 23 is full of promises of all that God is willing and wanting to do in your life. The whole psalm is about His actions: leading, refreshing, guiding, comforting, providing, anointing, pursuing.
There are only two actions or two responses that are required of you, and these are more like by-products of the Lord’s work as your Shepherd. The first is found in verse 4: “I will fear no evil.” Fear takes your eyes off God and undermines your faith. It gets between you and your Shepherd. Therefore, replace fear with trust in the God who is always with you and always active on your behalf.
Secondly, verse 6 invites you to declare: “I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” God has promised to be with you always. He is always going to be there, but sheep have a tendency to go astray. Sheep can wander off. As much as your Good Shepherd has said that He will always be with you, you still have to make the choice – each and every day – to be with Him.
Enjoy the gift of His goodness and love as you dwell in His Presence, Dear One!
A Daily Prayer
Lord God, I choose You as my Good Shepherd. I will trust in You, and I will follow You through this day. No matter what happens, I will stay with You, and I will let You take care of me. Please walk alongside me through whatever hills or valleys I need to cross. Bless me with an awareness of Your Presence, bringing me Your goodness and Your love.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
