Keep Walking

Just about every Christian I know has a favorite verse in the Bible. Some site John 3:16 as their favorite, as it proclaims God’s love for all of us. Still others love the stories of the Lord’s ministry found in the four gospels of the New Testament. Many have found solace in the Book of Psalms, and wisdom from the Proverbs. Many history lovers enjoy the Old Testament, and others spend most of their time retracing Paul’s journeys through Asia. My pastor says that his favorite verse is whatever verse he happens to be reading at the time.

I too share his love for the entire word of God, yet there is a verse that has stood out from the rest, many times in my life. Most of us have had our ups and downs in life. In fact I would say that our journey through life has a “topography” similar to that of the surface of the earth. Just as God has made His creation with contrast and has given us plenty of mountains and valleys to travel, likewise life also deals us a contrast with the same highs and lows.

The verse that has guided me through many lows in my life is Psalm 23:4:

Psalm 23:4
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.

The author of this verse acknowledges that he will have problems in life when he says, “Yea, though I walk through the valley…” It is a given that life will not always be care free. Some folks are shocked at the prospect of life not always being “smooth sailing.” If you realize that for every mountain top experience, there also has to be an accompanying valley, then you will not be taken by surprise when you find yourself in a valley. Since the size of the mountain top is smaller than most valleys, it stands to reason that if you are to continue in your journey, then your valley experience may last longer than the mountain top.

My favorite parts of this verse are, “…I walk through…” and, “for thou art with me;” I am able to walk through the problems of life, because God is with me every step of the way. Of course this is true for every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, some believers fail to take hold of God’s hand while they are in the valley. It kind of reminds me of when I was a child. My parents would always insist on holding my hand while they escorted me across the street. There were times when I would try to pull my hand away from them so I could do it on my own. Sometimes our pride causes us to want to do everything for ourselves, which can become a deadly enterprise.

One of the parts of this verse that stands out for me is the phrase, “I walk through…” What I find interesting about this part of the verse is as David writes these words, “Yea, though I walk through the valley…,” there seems to be a temporal sense to his words. David appears to think that he is walking through this particular valley, and not camping out in it. He has a “walk through” mentality about this valley. Perhaps David is focusing on what lies ahead, just over the horizon, instead of where he presently finds himself. David looks to his future state to quell the fears of his current state.

Likewise the apostle Peter found himself in a storm on the Sea of Galilee. When he seen the Lord, he stepped out of the boat and began to walk on the water. As long as he kept his eyes on the Lord he was able to walk above “his” storm. Remember the first step in Peter’s journey across the water, was stepping out of the boat. He didn’t stay in the boat, instead he started walking.

When you find yourself in a valley, remember not to camp out there. David concludes this psalm with, “…I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” All Christians share this same promise. Grab hold of His hand, keep your eyes on your destination, and “keep walking.” - Ross Weibling