March 16, 2025 Devo

March 16th, 2025

“Walking Through the Psalms”
“Even when walking through the dark valley of death I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me, guarding, guiding all the way.” – Psalm 23:4a (TLB)
“Walking Through the Dark Valley of Death”

The last six months, I’ve walked with a number of people dealing with the loss of a loved one. Death can feel a bit like an earthquake. It rattles you, shakes you, and staggers you. You get hit with the stunning realization that your world is forever changed. Your mind is overwhelmed with decisions that have to be made and details that have to be attended to. Your emotions jump on a rollercoaster of dips and curves that seem to go on forever. You are forced to a “new normal” that you don’t want, but you can’t refuse. And just about the time you get your feet under you again, another aftershock of grief hits you, and you’re back on the rollercoaster again. Can any of you relate to this?
These words of David might be some of the most comforting words in Scripture. David doesn’t say that our Shepherd will keep us from being impacted by death, but he does say that we won’t be swallowed up by it. Camp on that thought for a bit. That means that our Shepherd will stay CLOSE. That means that when the days get dark, and they WILL get dark, we have His Arm to hang onto. Having God close means that when the fountain of grief comes pouring out, we have His Shoulder to cry on. It means that when we need someone to talk to, we have His Ear that will listen. It also means that though there are parts of our pain that even our best friends don’t fully understand, we have someone who does understand. He knows our hearts. He is NEAR. We are never alone.
So if you’re walking through that dark valley of death today, read David’s words again. Make them YOUR words. God is close to YOU today, my friend. He is right there with you through every painful moment. Lean upon Him and allow Him to steady you when the ground beneath you begins to shake. He will guard you. He will guide you. He will wrap His Arms around you and hold you in your moments of overwhelming sorrow. Death is a foe we all must face. But it is also one that our Lord has already conquered. He will walk you safely and surely through this dark valley you are in. Take heart. He will set your feet upon a brighter path on the other side. That’s God’s Word for you today.