No fear of the shadow

As a child, and sometimes as an adult, I would play hide and go seek. The best time to play this game is at dusk, or even better yet once it is dark. It was most fun to hide and when someone least expects to jump out from the shadows and shout to scare them. Of course the girls screamed so much better than the boys! As you got into the game it seem that in every shadow there appeared to be a girl or boy lurking there ready to jump out! It was during this time that I learned that every shadow did not have a scary side and that, most importantly for later life, that shadows cannot harm you! They may be scary but ultimately no harm.

Psalm 23:1-4
1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.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.

Thinking about Psalm 23, in the “Valley of life” there are many shadows out there to bring fear. Of course there is the shadow of a death, but there are also the shadows of a job loss, a sickness, a financial reversal, a wayward child, a broken marriage, or a broken friendship. Though painful and very worrisome these shadows will pass. It is such a great comfort to remember that, as being in the family of God, I know that He is with me. He is in fact within me as the Holy Spirit and that He will never forsake me and will always provide and protect me as I have need!

But what about this reference about His rod and staff? How could they comfort me?

Thy Rod and thy Staff:

• Rod of punishment:
The rod can be a rod of punishment as found in 2 Sam 7:14 “I will chasten him with the rod of men”; and Proverbs 10:13 “but a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding.”

• Rod of provision:The rod can also be a rod of provision as we have read in Exodus 17:6 “6 Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.”; and in Numbers 20:11 “And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly.”

• Rod of direction:
That same rod in the hand of the master’s servant becomes a rod of direction, pointing the way to go and clearing the path before us as found in Exodus 14:16 “16 But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea."

• Rod of Protection:
In the hand of Moses the rod became a rod of protection and Gods favor in Exodus 17:9, 11 “And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand. . . . 11 And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed:”

• Rod of Care:
But in the context of Psalm 23 the rod spoken of is like the rod of a shepherd that is used in the counting and inspection of the sheep. A shepherd would stand at the entrance to the sheep fold and allow the sheep to enter the fold one by one; the shepherd would block the way with the rod to allow time for the shepherd to confirm the that sheep was his; that the sheep had his mark and to look for any blemish or injury that needed attention. If any did not have his mark it was rejected – it was not his! Ezekiel 20:37-38“”And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant: 38 And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me:”

What a wonderful picture to remind me that our Shepherd, Jesus Christ, has marked me with his Holy Spirit, He knows me and counts me as His own. He inspects me to see if I have any need or injury; he will provide for me and bind up my wounds! What a Great Shepherd!

Do you know the Great Shepherd? He wants you as his own, to mark you with His Holy Spirit! Oh, accept Him today!