Psalms 23:4 “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.”
This must be one of the most comforting and assuring
scriptures in the bible, “though I walk through the valley of the shadow of
death”. As God’s children we need never fear because no matter what happens
in this life, even though the path of death, God is with us. Our comfort must
be the very fact that no matter what, God will never leave us alone. “…for
he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” Heb. 13:5c When
God make us a promise it is made for our comfort and assurance. Moses wrote
these words, “Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of
them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he
will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” Deuteronomy 31:6 As Christians
we must always be reminded of God’s blessings to us, but more so in the fact
that we never walk alone. We are God’s children, elected to be His children
before the world was ever created. God has a plan for us, and God will execute
that plan during our earthly life. Our greatest blessing of God is that He
chose us to be His children therefore we are the most blessed of God’s
creation. Jesus assured us in John 10:28 - 29 “And I give unto them eternal
life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my
hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to
pluck them out of my Father's hand.” No matter what happens in this earthly
life God truly does have us protected in all evil, even in death. Paul wrote in
Romans 8:38 - 39 “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life,
nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to
come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to
separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
More encouraging words from God that we have nothing to fear. This is why God was
so bold to point out we need to be of great courage because “we are more
than conquerors through him that loved us.” Rom. 8:37. Everything
in this life is temporary and no matter what happens and the pains that come
with it, they are short lived. When the Lord assured us that “…we are more
than conquerors through him…” this means our gain in this life is a
decisive victory. We will never be defeated, just as Jesus was not defeated in
death but that moment was His most shinning victory as it was ours. Jesus
suffered the darkest moment at His death because He died all alone, “…My
God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” Matt. 27:46 However, this is a
moment we as Christians had our victory over Satan, this world, and death. This
is why the Psalmist wrote, “…though I walk through the valley of the shadow
of death, I will fear no evil…” What a true blessing because God has given
us every blessing we could ever ask for. Yes, it is true, life hurts, the
stings are there, but the victory is ours because Jesus suffered it all alone
for you and me. Countless Christians suffer death as martyrs through history
for the Lord, the church, and to preserve God’s word of Truth, and not one of
them walk to their death alone. Beloved, we have no reason to fear anyone or
anything, because we are in God’s hand of grace! While life has so many trials,
persecution, and even death, Jesus Christ will carry us through them. “But
thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
1 Corinthians 15:57 Even though sometimes it may not look or seem like it, God
has without question blessed us beyond what we could thing or ask. “Thanks
be unto God for his unspeakable gift.” 2 Corinthians 9:15 Therefore, as
Christians we need not fear what road we travel in life and even in death, fear
is not something the believer in Jesus Christ needs to have.
