Notice on a slight format change:

Except for July 2012, these are mostly a collection of current devotional notes.

July 2012 is a re-write of old quiet times. My second child was born Nov 11, 1987 with multiple birth defects. I've been re-reading my QT notes from that time in my life, and have included them here. They cover the time before the birth and the few years immediately after the birth. They are tagged "historical." I added new insights and labeled them: ((TODAY, dd mmm yy)).

Wednesday, June 14, 2017

QT 14 Jun 17, Ps 23:4, Do not fear, we are never alone

Psalm 23:4 (ESV) — 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.

NOTE: The "shadow of death" is literally deep darkness or gloom. These are depressing periods of life when things, circumstance, people do not go the way we would like. We all know the feeling in the pit of our stomach, the ache, the sense of something not right. It is a natural part of life, and probably a natural part because of the fall. God's promise is that we don't have to fear during those times, which is a natural reaction to gloom and despair, to fear and worry. God is with us during the darkest moments. He brings a rod and a staff. The rod to correct, and the staff to pull us back. His correction is not for our pain but for our good. Although all pain feels like it can only hurt. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 4:17–18 (ESV) — 17 For this light momentary affliction (Ed. do they ever really feel light or momentary?) is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. God is with us, the pain will not last forever; take heart my soul.

No comments:

Post a Comment