The only way through life's valleys

Will you permit me to rant?

I’m wondering what on earth just happened. We just got done with the wonderful promise of green pastures and quiet waters and refreshed souls. “Right down these paths” David said. “Just follow the shepherd,” David said. And now we’re sitting in the darkest of all valleys.

Thanks David.

Until today, I liked where Psalm 23 was taking us on our walk. But I, like you, don't like this part. The "right paths" of the third verse…lead...here?

There’s something you should know about you

Evasive maneuvering, whether you’ve heard of it or not, is something we’re experts in. As in, we could teach the principles of it to pilots-in-training at any flight school.

I know this because we’ll do everything in our power to deal with this valley differently than what we’re given here. If left up to us, we’d go around the valley of the shadow of death. Or a safe distance from the valley. We'd even settle for near the valley. But it doesn’t say that.

It's through the valley.

Tolkien knew this. That's why a wizard and hobbits and all their help had to go through the mines of Moria. Sportscasters say this annually when they speculate that the road to the title game goes through the city of a dominant team in the playoffs. And you and I need to know it.

This whole life is a walk through the valley of the shadow of death. It casts its shadow to the furthest reaches of this life. I have no doubt you’ve encountered it: death of friends and loved ones, news headlines, broken relationships, individual struggle.

Evade what you can. Strategize all you want. But the only way is through.

It doesn’t exactly charge us up, does it? Fortunately, David wrote something we all too casually skip right past: “Even though…”

“Even though” is the foreshadowing of good news.

There’s something you should know about our shepherd

Ask yourself: why would a shepherd lead sheep into a valley like this? Valleys naturally sit low in the landscape. Predators gain an edge in having high vantage points. On top of that, they know the valley. Sheep in the valley are an easy meal. It’s silly and foolish for a shepherd to even attempt it.

Unless he’s been there before.

This particular shepherd knows this valley, because he walked it before we ever did. And after the valley did all it could do to him, and perhaps thought it had finished him…he got up. And he walked back across the valley. And now offers us his presence to us as we cross it.

He offers his comforting presence in two forms: his rod and his staff. These are not just a picture for picture’s sake. These speak to the work of a shepherd.

• The rod was used to warn and drive away the inevitable predators that would come along. It was never used on the sheep, but instead put to use defending them.

• The staff was what we picture: a long pole with a crook at the end, for hooking the leg of a sheep to pull it back from harm’s way. It could also be used to direct and discipline with a couple taps. While we can frequently mistake the staff for the rod in our lives, it’s never used that way. It’s used with the intent to bring us back from our wandering and going our own ways.

Where, O Death, is your sting?

We can take comfort in the rod and staff of the shepherd against the two enemies we encounter in the valley of the shadow of death: Satan, and us.

The rod is for the enemy outside of us - Satan - who comes to steal, kill, and destroy. He's out to devour us, and the Lord meets him and beats him back with the rod. But we also are our own enemy. Our shepherd's staff meets firmly this enemy, while meeting gently our heart. No wonder David can say: "I will fear no evil, for you are with me..."

The way is through, and the promise is with. And that leads to something we just can’t possibly imagine right here in this darkest of valleys.

But we’ll save that for tomorrow.

Until then,

Nathan