Walking Through the Shadow of Death

Psalm 23:4

“ Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”

Walking through the pain of death of a loved one You are with us.  Maybe sadness will encompass us for a season but You have promised to NEVER leave us or forsake us.  It has been sixteen years now since my brother, Ken, died in an accident at work.  It was a shock and such a great sadness but I know his heart yearned to be with our Savior and I know that I will see him again in that joyous reunion in the heavens.  My brother was a mentor to me in my faith, a protector to me (he scared a bull away from me when I was in the pasture), he encouraged me when I was sad, faithfully wrote to me when we lived far apart.  We had a special relationship that transcended the sibling relationship.  It is painful to go through life events and not share them with him- births of my grandchildren, his daughter’s wedding, his grandchildren being born.  He would have loved all the children.  We all know that. 

Now, it has now been almost a year since my stepdad died – he raised me since I was four years old and was there when I needed him.  Even though we fought and disagreed quite often and had several father/daughter issues I miss him.  Sadness seems to cloud this time of year with the holidays coming we miss those whom have gone on.  The last couple of days on this earth Dad wanted us to quote Psalms 23 and John 3:16 many times for him and those scriptures are precious to us.  He made it too my mom and his 50^th wedding anniversary which was a big goal for him and so many friends and family gathered for that event several weeks before his death.  Life on this earth continues for those of us left behind.  I am comforted by many songs and scriptures at times of pain and grieving:   “I need thee, oh, I need Thee; every hour I need Thee!  Oh, bless me now, my Savior; I come to Thee.”

Lord, I come and I lay my burdens and my sadness at Your feet.  I know without a shadow of a doubt I will meet Ken and Dad and all those who loved You again, but missing them and not being able to share on earth my joys and pains with them makes me sad at times.  Yet, You are Lord, You see my pain, You comfort my breaking heart.  Even though all others fail me You will not.  My future is in Your hands and I trust You with it.  I will not fear for You are with Me.  “Great is Thy faithfulness!”

John 3:16

 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

A Psalm of David.

23 The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
² He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
³ He restores my soul;
He leads 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 You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

⁵ You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell^[a] in the house of the Lord
Forever.

New King James Version (NKJV)