Shadow of Death

Photo caption: God provides beauty for our souls to enjoy in the midst of pain.  Even a shadow like that on this flower can be a thing of beauty. Foster Park, Fort Wayne Indiana

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In light of the shooting that occurred this week in one of our nation’s elementary schools I thought this devo on the subject of death might be helpful to some. Please pray for those living in the CT community as they deal with this terrible deed.

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A friend who had lost her brother to cancer when he was a teenager talked to our ladies’ Bible study about the topic of death. Someone asked her how her family had come through the ordeal without being angry at God.

She said, “At first we didn’t want to admit that God would allow such a terrible thing to happen to people who loved Him. I was angry and felt very alone.”

“Then I ran across the verse in the 23^rd Psalm that talks about ‘the valley of the shadow of death.’ I realized that, in order for something to have a shadow, it had to have light behind it.

God’s presence was the light behind my brother’s death. We knew that in the end Daniel was going to be in the presence of that Light, and that gave us comfort.”

In his book God’s Psychiatry (Revell) Charles Allen talks about a real Valley of the Shadow of Death. It is located in Palestine and leads from Jerusalem to the Dead Sea.

Surrounded by an ominous mountain range, the narrow and dangerous pathway is rough and the possibility of death is real. It is a forbidding journey  one dreads to take.

But the sheep are not afraid. Why? Because the shepherd is alongside.

May we all feel our Shepherd’s presence when death is near.

The End