Since So many are struggling I want to skip some and just type from the heart on, Yea, Though I walk through the Valley of the Shadow od Death. David was describing shadows as being scared to death of them. He was only 13 when he was alone leading sheep through dark valleys and high mountains because the alpine passes are always turning to the right or left. Why do shadows scare us? 1. Youre afraid of the unknown. 2. You feel defenseless ( like Theresa Turcy and so many others who are sick and having trouble.) 3. Your active imagination thinks youll die there. 4.You know evil hides in darkness. Most robberies and bad things happen at night. that is natural to be afraid. David was. Are you afraid of shadows? How about the shadow of death? When you aer close to someone dying, his or her shadow falls over you. When I lived in a nursing home I can remember people did daily. You could feel it... There was an nurses aid who told me a lady was dying and she was alone. So I crawled in there to be with her.. I lay there holding her hand for hours. She was my precious, LuLu. my former roommate that got moved to another part of the nursing home. All of the sudden her hand dropped and felt cold. I knew she was dead. I couldnt speak. I had been brave in the shadow of death for hours. Death hadnt scared me, but now I was no longer standing in deaths shadow because the shadow was gone. The blackness of death visited the room, and her body got colder by the minute. Deaths shadow became a reality. All I could do was be with her. I had called a pastor from my church earlier and he finally came and I was crying. HE said, You know she isnt her, she is with the Lord. Instantly, the burden of death lifted. I knew the pastor was right. To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord 2 Cor. 5:8. So what can you do when shadows scare you? Shadows of an untreatable illness? The fear of losing a job, or a lost job. Growing either sicker or older and your body is changing making you have shadows of doubts about whether you can even get through the next day. 1. Seek the Lords presence. He brings light in your darkest night. Did you read about my desperate night that I posted here? Then claim again the promise that You are with me (Psalm 23:4). Remember, there is no darkness in Gods presence, nor is there any shadow. Jesus said, I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life. (John 8:12) 2. When entering your personal death Valley, pray. If you find yourself in the middle of a dark night, pray. If you want to get out of the valley,pray. 3. Trust him to help you find the path out. If the valley has you hemmed in and the mountains are too high to climb, remember that a valley can be a path trough the mountains. IF you cant see the other side, keep following the valley.Claim the promise, You are with me. The Shepherd wont let you get lost. 4. If you are on the wrong path, turn around. There are usually box canyons and false trails in the mountains. Not all openings between the mountains will get you to the other side. As for me in my life ( my struggles) the easy path was always the wrong one, it usually ended abruptly. What do you do then? Turn around--repent-- and retrace your steps back to the Shepherd. If you havent trusted God to direct your path or if you havent trusted God to protect and provide for you then you do need to repent. As God to forgive you. Turn around and go back to him. Follow that wrong path by turning around and going back. Back to the Shepherd, the Lord. IF we truly were His sheep we wouldnt have strayed into another direction without him in the first place. 5. Know that God will never abandon you. Anticipation can help you mentally prepare for your valley of troubles. Oh My! How many of you have anticipated seeing a new doctor in the hopes that he can help you, or that he can at least tell you what kind of illness you have only to hear, sorry I cant help you. Sorry I do not understand your condition. Goodness, I cannot even find a family physician to see me, I see my cardiologist for everything. I remember flying so sick to see a Dr. In Milwaukee and I had heard he was the best. When I got there he tested me and told me I had NCS..... then he tried numerous medicines that usually helped his other patients, but everytime he would tilt me up on the tilt table I would faint... He was at a lost. I can remember thinking I cannot make it on the plane home. I had my hopes up. I was in the valley of death. I had no help when I had high hopes. I went into a depression then. I tried to work and kept passing out at work. I was lost. I didnt turn and look that my Shepherd was always there to comfort me and never leave me no matter what. God promises that you will walk through the Valley---not just into the valley to be left there, but through it to green pastures. If you are in the valleyof the shadow of death, remember that God will never abandon you in the valley. HE will bring you out to the other side. God promises to be with you through your trouble. When I saw Doctor after Doctor I got Fear conscious instead of God conscious. I was so worried about the death shadow that I missed the divine shadow. Because we always see in life what we look for, if you search for death shadows ( the bad) thats what you will find. If you seek God, you will see Him. Who is with you in the darkness? ITs the Shepherd. Reach up, take His hand and let Him guide you through the valley to the other side. I did and it is great. No one can lead you out accept the Lord. I previously wrote, My doctor couldnt help me, My nurse couldnt help me, My husband couldnt help me, my family or friends couldnt help me then I finally gave in and said Lord lead me to the other side, guide me out of this valley. Thank you, Lord for leading me through the dark night (Valley). I pray that for all of you tonight.....Love and Prayers.. Lynn
Posted on: Thu, 06 Mar 2014 04:47:13 +0000