Psalm 23:4 Even 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.
No one knows us better than God. And no one can comfort us quite like him.
[A follow-up to last week’s post]
I had just finished my first class and it would be about an hour before my next one. As I walked across campus to the dining hall, the grief I’d held at bay all morning started to surface. One of my dearest friends had died the night before. I felt numb, hallow, isolated in sadness. But as I started to pay the cashier for my food, a former student rushed over, “Professor Toews, let me swipe my card for your lunch!” She knew nothing about my situation, which made her kindness all the more powerful. It was as if the Lord was tenderly whispering, “I’m here with you.”
Later that week two former students knocked on my classroom door right before I dismissed my class. They said they heard it was my birthday, and had made me cookies! In all my years teaching, that had never happened before. They had no knowledge of the valley I was walking through, but they showed up, just wanting to brighten my day. “I’m here with you.”
The next few days leading up to the funeral brought unexpected comforts—through human vessels. Comforts that assured me of the Lord’s presence. It’s as if he were stepping right down into my loneliness, grabbing my hand. Leading me through the shadow of the valley. Although the sorrow didn’t dissipate, the sting of death lost some of its lethality.
Because that’s what the Shepherd of our souls does.
There is no shadow so deep that the light of his love can’t illuminate.
No loss we suffer that he can’t use for good.
No separation among believers that lasts forever.
He promises to be here with us no matter what we face. His rod turns back enemies like doubt and self-pity that might take advantage of grief’s vulnerability. His staff gently leads us through the valley until we reach the other side. And through him we find comfort. Comfort when those shadows inevitably fall.