THE VALLEY OF SHADOWS

 

The late U.S Senator George McGovern who died at the age of 90 was a bomber pilot in the Second World War. In his book my life in the service: the world war 11 diary of George McGovern he says that every bomber pilot was tasked with flying 35 missions. And once you got to your 35^th mission, you were allowed to go home. The 35^th mission ought to have been a source of great joy but it was a source of tremendous terror.

It was famously unlucky to fly on the 35^th mission. Many were terrified of it because so many of their friends died on that last mission. George remembered as a young bomber pilot, being ready to take off to bomb Germany. Far ahead of him was a long line of bombers taking off. The first bomber in the line was piloted by a very young pilot on his first mission. And as he was preparing to take off, the pilot spawned his plane, crashed and effectively blocked the runway.

Just behind him in the line was a crew of pilots flying the 35^th mission and George wondered how they would respond. Would they get out, maybe punch him because they were so annoyed? This was their ticket home. But instead of being angry, he was amazed to see them run, embrace and hug him because in their minds, he had delivered them from their worst fear, which is to fly the 35th mission.

Psalm 23 has been read so often by soldiers going into war, hospital patients facing surgery, ministers comforting bereaving families and others. Why? Because there is a real, divine presence actively and intimately involved in our lives! The words are not poetic exaggeration or theoretical, David really believed this about God. He had experienced God in these ways and beneath the beauty of his words there is a solid conviction.

In the first three verses David delightfully talks about green pastures, still waters and the path of righteousness that the Lord is leading him through. Then in verse 4 the scene changes and we find him walking through the valley of the shadow of death. Up until this point, he has been talking about the shepherd and then he starts talking to the shepherd. The shepherd is no longer ahead leading him but he's right by his side in the dark valley.

How did the sheep get into this dreadful valley? He is not going through such a place because he strayed off in sin. The shepherd is pictured as going with the sheep not snatching him back to the pasture he left behind. The reason the sheep is going through the valley is because the shepherd lead him there. The path through the valley is one of the paths of righteousness in which God leads his children for His name's sake.

The shepherd knows that predators can take cover in the dark areas in the valley and from their vantage point prey on his flock. He knows these valleys can be subject to sudden storms, floods, rock slides or other natural disasters that would destroy or injure his sheep. So why would a good shepherd who would lay down his life for his sheep lead a lamb into a valley filled death threats? There's only one possible answer: to get to some better place!

In spite of such hazards the shepherd also knows that this is still the only way to take his flock to the next pasture. The sheep has already grazed on the current pasture and soon there will be no more grass here. So it’s necessary to move to the next high ground where the sun is warm and the grass is lush. And the path to the next grazing land passes through a dangerous dark valley.

When you find yourself walking through some dark unfamiliar valley remember this: Your shepherd has appointed even this as one of his paths of righteousness. He is leading you in it for reasons that probably won't be apparent. But rest assured, he knows what he is doing. Believe that He has good reasons for taking this route and every valley is a pathway to something better (Ps.30:5). The valley is not good, but the Shepherd is and his favor lasts a life time.

In the midst of his most difficult trials, David did not suffer dread, what would otherwise cause him panic did not trouble him. Though surrounded by evil, an inexplicable calm filled his soul.  He trusted that God would protect and guide all the way.  He believed that valley times were appointed for His good. He learned things about God in the dark valleys of life that could be learned no other way.

David knew that God was with him every step of the way protecting him. He believed that nothing could come into his life except either God sends it or He allows it. When Satan challenged God to remove the hedge of protection around Job, God still set the boundaries by which the devil could bring devastation into Job’s life. Though Satan carried out his ruthless attack, it was within the boundaries that God established (Job 1:10-12). 

He said "your rod and your staff, they comfort me." David was well familiar with these instruments through his earlier work with his father’s flock. The two instruments were symbolic of the Lord’s sovereign and protective care over his life. The rod was used to defend the flock against vicious wild animals. David had no fear in the dark valley because a powerful God was protecting him. And greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4).

The staff was used to guide the sheep in the right direction, lest they strayed away. Just a gentle tap of the staff on a lamb's side would move them back in the fold. It was also used to untangle a sheep that had become caught in a bush or to lift one that had fallen into a hole.  David felt comforted that his Shepherd was protecting him and guarding his steps, making sure that he makes it through the darkness safely. 

David’s dangers were not imaginary but painfully real ones.  His life story in the books of Samuel and Psalms reveal his many dark valleys. As a young boy tending his father’s sheep alone in the wilderness he faced lions and bears. As a teenager he also fought Goliath. You can imagine his heart pounding as he whirled the sling aiming the stones at the beasts and Goliath? “What if I miss?” he could have wondered (1Sam. 17).

Later he had to hide in the Cave of Adullam while Saul and his men hunted him like a wild animal (1 Sam. 22, Ps.  57:2-4). He knew that if Saul found him it would be certain death. Another time he had to flee from his palace to the wilderness because his own rebellious son wanted to kill him (2 Samuel 15:13-17:22), he even had to feign madness to survive (1 Sam 21, Ps. 34). His baby son died even after pleading with God to heal him (2 Samuel 12:13-25).  

David the man after God's own heart was not spared from walking through these perilous places and neither are we. This is why we need a shepherd throughout our life’s journey. Each one of us will experience our own dark valley. It may come as failure in exam, loss of a loved one, terminal illness, job loss, rejection, divorce; the facets of deep darkness are as numerous as there are human lives.

The darker the valley the closer the shepherd; alert, equipped and powerful enough to protect you from any danger! There is a shadow in the Valley because there is light beyond it. You only get a shadow where there's light. Even if the dark valley is death, there is light beyond death for the Christian. There is light of the glorious city (Rev. 21:9-11, 21-25), the glorious presence of God (Rev. 22:4-5) and the shepherd (Rev. 7:15-17). The shepherd’s presence does not eliminate the presence of evil, but the fear of evil. Whatever dark valley you may walk through in life, the shepherd will always be right beside you.  And that is a promise (Hebrews 13:5-6)!