The Fundamentals: Divine Presence

¹The 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. ⁵ Thou preparest a table before me in the
presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil;
my cup runneth over. ⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall
follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house
of the LORD forever.

The twenty-third Psalm is all about the Shepherd - the Good Shepherd – Jesus Christ the keeper of our souls. It is written about Him to His sheep. The only way someone can be a sheep in the flock of this Shepherd is if that person has heard and responded to the call of the Shepherd. Each of His sheep understand that just as it says in John 10:15,

He, the Shepherd, gave His life on Calvary’s cross so that the sinner (“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” Romans 3:23) could confess their sins to Him, admit they need a Savior and turn to follow Him. His blood then freed the sheep from the penalty of sin, which is spiritual death, giving them new life and membership in His flock. What a wonderful, perfect place to be, under the care of the Good Shepherd. In a flock that has all its needs provided for, lacking nothing, cared for out of His love. Praise the Lord!

Recently, I had the privilege of speaking with a young man from Ghana, Africa. He had grown-up shepherding his father’s flock of about 150 sheep. He related to me what a common day in the life of a shepherd was like. He also shared about the actions and habits of his sheep. Listen to some of the things he shared with me and while you do, think about the Shepherd and sheep of Psalm 23.

Each day, early in the morning, he would go to the sheep fold – the place where many shepherds of the village kept their flocks over-night – it could be a few hundred sheep all mixed together. The fold was a walled area for protection. All the shepherds would start calling their sheep and the sheep would separate from the others and respond to their shepherds call by following his voice. Think of the scripture in John 10:3-4,

Next, he would lead his sheep to calm water to drink, after the long night. First, the sheep would wait while the shepherd drank from the stream, and then when he was finished, they would step down to the calm water and drink. Does this remind you of the part of Psalm 23:2 that says, “… he leadeth me beside the still waters.”? (Jehovah-Shalom) After the sheep had their fill, he would then lead them to the place where he had chosen for them to graze. He told me that he had to be mindful of the amount of grass that was available, the size of his flock, the danger of the paths, valleys, and hills. He had to watch that the sheep did not decide to start feeding in someone’s grain field and ruin their crop. He had to look for shade for the sheep during the heat of the day, so that they could lay down and chew their cud – getting all the nutrients out of the grass. (Sound familiar?) He used his rod and staff or even a slingshot to protect his flock from dangerous animals that would come to hunt his sheep. He had to be on the look-out for people who would come and steal sheep for their own gain. All the time he stayed near his sheep, keeping a watchful eye on them, keeping their care in his mind. At the end of the day, he would return them to the water to drink and then they would return to the fold for the night. As he would arrive with the sheep, his father would always be standing there, looking at each sheep as it entered. His father would count them and look at how they acted. It was interesting to hear that his father would know how well he had done his job that day by the actions of the sheep. If they were stubborn and not wanting to walk, if they were distracted trying to eat from the nearby fields, or their stomachs were thin, then he would know that his son had NOT done the job that he had been sent to do. For the sheep reflected the shepherd’s care – “… he leadeth me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.” A well fed, contented sheep brings glory to its shepherd.

At one point, I asked this “no longer shepherd” if he considers sheep as being “dumb” – as I have heard people say. He laughed and responded that they were not dumb at all. In fact, he told me that they are smart animals that were created to have their needs provided for by someone else. They can learn - they learn to rely on and trust their shepherd. They learn to wait for him. They learn his voice. When he had one that was stubborn and uncooperative, his “teaching” was eventually learned and accepted, and the sheep became a cooperative sheep of the flock – for its own good and the good of those around it. Oh, how we are like sheep! We are in need of the Shepherd, but also created with the ability to learn what He has for us to learn. All of this depends on our willingness to stay near, obey and trust our Shepherd.

Throughout this conversation, I see/hear many things, but one thing keeps resonating in my soul. It is the presence of the shepherd in the life of his sheep. He is there all the time. This leads us to verse four,

The shepherd was there with his sheep when feeding, when they were lying down, and also when they were drinking by cool, still waters. His presence, his love was there with them when they had been injured and were in need of being healed. He was there on the paths of righteousness – lovingly leading and guiding them in “right-living.” The care He showed for them could be seen in the health of His sheep. And now we see that in the valley of the shadows of death – He is still there!

You and I have both experienced these valleys of shadows of death that are full of evil. Times and places in our lives when the circumstances around us press in, to the point where we feel that we cannot breathe. These may be times of loss, loneliness, or discouragement. Times of betrayal, regrets for poor decisions made, physical danger, or sickness. Maybe you are being pressed by others to do things you know are wrong. Possibly the work of evil is so powerful around you that you forget that you are a child of the King of kings. Are you crying as the Psalmist in Psalm 6:6-7

Maybe this valley is so dark and deep and long that you feel as though you have been walking in it forever and there is no other side only that it will lead to death.

Christian, I want you to look at one little word, but a word of great power and hope – through! “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death….” Through indicates moving in at one point and out at another point, especially the opposite side! You are going to make it through the valley. Why can we say that? Because the Lord, your Shepherd, promises it right here in this verse! There is another side and if you stay on the path, His path, it is headed in that direction. You will walk out the other side! Praise His name! There is hope! But why is there hope?

Look at what you and I should be doing (or should I say not be doing) while we are in the valley of the shadow of death. This verse tells us we should, “fear no evil.” Fear means to dread, be in panic or alarm in the presence or anticipation of danger. Since, this valley is the place where fear thrives, how can the Lord be telling us to fear not? Doesn’t He know what is surrounding me? Doesn’t He know the pain and ache of my heart? Well, in fact He does, because He is present there with you. It is His presence that is greater than any present danger. He is your hope! He is your ONLY hope. Psalm 27:1 says,

We should not be afraid of anyone nor anything. Nothing should cause fear for He is your salvation and, “Greater is He (the Lord) that is in me, than he (Satan your enemy) that is in the world.” Remember, He loves you; He cares for you. You are His most prized possession. Because of His loving presence, you should not fear any evil that is around you.

Let’s look at Isaiah 43:1-3 and see some parallel verses.

Oh, how great He is. Christian, He created you. He formed you within your mother’s womb. He redeemed you – paid for your sin. He knows the number of your days. You are the apple of His eye. He knows your name. You are His! His love for you knows no boundaries. His love is huge and vast, greater than we can even comprehend. In fact, that love cannot be measured. C. H. Spurgeon, a well-known preacher from the 1800’s once said something to this effect (not a direct quote). If God should pity me, I would understand it. If He would regard my misery and deliver me, I can comprehend that. But He looks at me with a love that is greater than the love I have for my own children. In fact, that love is so great that He gave His own Son in my place. Isn’t it a wonder that when it came to the question should we die or Christ die, God spared not his own Son but freely delivered Him up for us all? That you and I may go free. What mysterious love is that! If He has set His heart on me, of whom shall I be afraid? Now, I can walk through the valley of the shadow of death, and I will fear no evil [why?] for Thou art with me.

The presence of the Lord your Shepherd within that dark valley will get you through. He is walking right through it with you. Deuteronomy 31:6 says,

He does not ask you to go through anything that He is not walking through with you. In fact, He does not ask you to go through anything that He has not already experienced Himself. You may think, “What? When did He ever experience this evil I am surrounded by, today?” The book of Isaiah was written hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus Christ and yet the prophet announces exactly what Jesus the King of glory would face in His life here on earth. He left the realms of heaven to enter a sin sick world because of His love for you and me. Read Isaiah 53:3-5,

Jesus Christ knows your sufferings, sorrows, and griefs. He has experienced all your pain firsthand. He took on Himself the punishment of all sin – yours, mine, the entire world’s – through all yesterdays, today and tomorrows. This God, who is present and loves you with the unmeasurable love, will not allow you to suffer more than what you can handle with His help and His grace. He is your Jehovah-Shammah – The Lord Who is There.

As Jesus was about to return to heaven, after His resurrection from the dead, He gave His disciples instructions and encouraged them. Matthew 28:20 tells us that He closed by saying,

Yes, He returned to heaven at that point. So how is He with us always as He had promised? How is He with me today in the middle of this dark valley? John 14:26-27 tells us that the Father (God) would send the Comforter who is the Holy Spirit in Jesus’ place. The Holy Spirit the third person of the Trinity would help the disciples remember all that Jesus had taught them while He had been living with them on earth. Then, He said in verse 27,

The Holy Spirit is with us in our valleys. He is ministering His comfort and peace within the troubled times. He is instructing us where to safely step through His Word. Because of His presence, we can walk with hearts that are not troubled nor afraid. The closer we are to Him the more peace we will experience. It is in His presence we will find fullness of joy no matter the circumstances.

Nothing in life is coincidental. In the green, grass filled pastures He is our provider. And in those wonderful times, it is often easy to become comfortable and maybe even a little self-reliant. He provides so wonderfully that we may sometimes forget that He is even there. The Shepherd has a reason for every valley we walk through. It is within those times that He is teaching us. Think for a moment, if we never had to walk through dark times, we would never experience Him as our Fortress, Strong Tower, Deliverer, our Shelter, our Refuge, our Ever-Present Help in time of need. It is within those times that we learn best who we are – sheep in need, and exactly who He is – Our Good Shepherd.

Look again at Isaiah 43:1-3.

This verse says when thou pass, not if thou pass. Christian, you are without a doubt going to face waters, rivers, and flaming fires. Valleys of the shadow of death are going to happen. There is no way to get around them. They are a part of a sheep’s life. But praise the Lord for the other word found in these verses – through. You are going to pass through the waters with Him. You are going to go through the rivers – which will not overflow or be too much for you because of Him. You are going to walk through the fire without being burned for He is there with you in the fire. Praise His name! Turn your eyes upon Jesus for He is walking with you through this valley of the shadow of death. And believer, He is walking with you right out the other side!

Christy

The name of the LORD is a strong tower. The righteous run into it and is safe.”
Proverbs 18:10
“Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”
1 Peter 5:7

“What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer.

Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged.
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
Can we find a friend so faithful?
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
Take it to the Lord in prayer!

Are we weak and heavy laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
Do your friend despise, forsake you?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield you;
You will find a solace there.”