THE VALLEY OF DARKNESS

 PSALMS 23 (NIV)

¹ The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
²     He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
³     he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
    for his name’s sake.
⁴ Even though I walk
    through the darkest valley,^[a]
I will fear no evil,
    for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

In this famous psalms of David, I see new insights every other day. In the first three verses he shows us how his walk with God is….we see the Lord guiding him all through! But int he fourth verse, David is walking by himself! it’s no longer He leads me….it has come to a point of I walk.

Just like sheep, sometimes children of God fail to notice how important it is to follow the path of righteousness but wander off, in their own thinking…oblivious of the dangers of independence from God. As God’s children , it is important that we understand that we cannot make it without the word of God.

Anything that is done outside the word of God is deemed to fail. His word presents us with God’s ways of doing things. He says don’t eat your tithe…just don’t eat it! He says ask and it shall be given to you….ask! He says love your wife…show her that you lover her everyday! Vocalize and practice your love for your wife. Respect your husband! Show that you respect him! Honor your parents…however old they are…even if they aren’t born again like you…thus says the word!

We need to submit to the path that God has set for us, through practicing his word! When you walk alone…you end up in the valley of the shadow of death! God never leads people to such valleys! God doesn’t lead people to dark valleys! The Holy Spirit is there to guide you. (John 16:13)

If you have found yourself in such valleys…through pride/ jealousy/ hatred/ selfishness….don’t worry…his love is greater than your sins…you can never outrun his grace…he is there with you! To guide you out of the pit…to lead you from the dark valley to being the city on a mountain. His rod and staff…which will protect you from danger. Let’s read the word of God…lets submit to this loving shepherd.

May you not walk into dark valleys…may you be humble enough to let the shepherd guide you to green pastures…still waters…and in the right paths..in the name of Jesus Christ..Amen!

CONFESSION

Dear Lord Jesus, help me to daily submit to your perfect will for my life, that I may walk in the right paths. Amen!