Though I Walk Through the Valley

“Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.”

I’m learning that going through the valley is part of the restoration process. When we are sick and diseased, we know the doctor may have to do some temporarily uncomfortable procedures to get to the restoration. We know that healing most often doesn’t come without the difficult.

All my trials and valleys are beings worked together for my good, they are not meaningless. Our Master Jesus went to the cross and suffered. Are we above our Master?

“Deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me.” ( Matthew 16:24) This is only way to becoming purified resulting in being more like Christ.

As believers, this is the race we are on. And in that race we can expect to share in His suffering. At the final finish line, we will have to walk through the valley of the shadow of death, but death will not have the final say. Death is swallowed up in victory! We will put on immortality! We don’t have to fear death. It is just a shadow to those who trust in the Shepherd. The sacrificial Lamb of God took the curse of sin and death upon Himself at the cross.

“O death where is your sting?” (I Corinthians 15:55)

There is a natural body and there is a spiritual body. In Adam we are born in our natural body, in the second Adam, Christ, we must be born again. Jesus gives life to the spiritual body. We can’t take this sick, diseased, sinful body to heaven. You can’t put new wine into old wine skins. (Matthew 9:17)

We are living stones being prepared to put on immortality. Our assurance as believers and being under the Shepherd’s care gives us the comfort we need, so we have no reason to fear.

The storms will come and the waves will crash, and that final wave that takes us, may it “slam us into the Rock of Ages”, as Spurgeon told us. Learn to embrace the waves!

As He died on the cross, Jesus said, “It is finished.” The work is done. I am free from the curse of death. We will not be burned when we go through the fire.

Jesus told Nicodemus, you must be born again to inherit eternal life. If you want to be able to face the valley of the shadow of death with no fear, you must be born of the spirit. Have you put your trust in Jesus as Lord? Have you repented and turned from your sin? Living without Jesus leaves you to your own devices. Are you willing to face the valley of the shadow of death without Him?

“The fool says in his heart there is no God” Psalm 14:1

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds.” James 1:2

“I have learned to kiss the wave that slams me into the Rock of Ages.” Spurgeon

Trust Him! Believe on Jesus!