Social Distancing Shadow of Death

Social Distancing

Shadow of Death

The shadow of

Corona, China, Riots, Election Year, Unemployment

How much darker can it get?

No matter how evil the Shadow of Death is

David knows as long as he is on the path of Righteousness, the Lord is with him

He knows in his defenselessness, the Good Shepherd has a rod and staff

David is comforted in God’s ability to defend him

This does not mean we do nothing

If we are with the Lord and He is leading us on the path of Righteousness

The very path itself requires you to stay on it

The path of Righteousness will require action

That path may be difficult, but it is the only way to go

Shadow of Death

The shadow of…

Corona, China, Riots, Election

Year, Unemployment

How much darker can it get?

In one way or another in David’s life time,

 he had faced similar shadows in his life.

I don’t think David was flipped in saying…

Even though I walk

through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil,

for you are with me.

Some of my Christian friends

would say I should not fear.

But I do fear.

David’s fear drove him to hide in a cave.

Like us, fear of Corona and violence

has forced us to stay in our homes.

Fear is a valuable part of our lives.

Fear causes us to do something.

We have all heard when fear

comes it causes us to fight or flight.

Why? Because when danger

comes, it removes complacency.

Complacency says…

“I think this is as far as we can get.”

We cannot live in complacency.

Alarms are sounding all around us.

Alarms forcing us to do something.

There are two wrong positions to take

when we are in the Shadow of Death…

One, do nothing as if it will

take care of its self by its self.

Two, hide in the terror of fear.

Both of these actions leave us in danger.

David defines what he will not fear…

“I will fear no evil.” 

“Evil”

Why will he not fear evil? …

“For you are with me;

your rod and your staff,

they comfort me.”

“For you are with me.”

 David has told us the

Lord is his Shepherd.

It is the Lord who guides his life.

David knows that if he is in a place of danger,

 it is part of the journey the Lord has him on.

Remember the path is a path of “Righteousness”.

At no point is fear or anything else to

get us off the path of “Righteousness”.

No matter how evil the Shadow of Death is.

David knows as long as he is on the path

of Righteousness the Lord is with him.

He knows in his defenselessness,

 the Good Shepherd has a rod and staff.

David is comforted in

God’s ability to defend him.

This does not mean we do nothing.

If we are with the Lord and He is

leading us on the path of Righteousness…

The very path itself requires you to stay on it.

The path of Righteousness will require action.

That path may be difficult,

 but it is the only way to go.

This does not mean you and I will not suffer.

But if you suffer for doing good

and you endure it,

 this is commendable before God.

1 Peter 2:20

It is clear, many of God’s sheep were slathered,

persecuted and put to death like the Good Shepherd.

So we must not forget the path of

Righteousness leads to eternal life.

But where sin increased,

grace increased all the more,

so that, just as sin reigned in death,

 so also grace might reign through

righteousness to bring eternal life

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 5:20-21

We face danger when are walking

through the Valley of the Shadow of Death.

It is times like these, we gather the flock

closer to the Shepherd to hear His voice.

Although we are sheep, we

are being lead to be conquers.

Our fear moves us to be conquers.

  

What, then, shall we say in response to this?

If God is for us, who can be against us?

He who did not spare his own Son,

but gave him up for us all —

how will he not also, along with him,

graciously give us all things?

Who will bring any charge against

 those whom God has chosen?

It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns?

Christ Jesus, who died —

more than that, who was raised to life —

is at the right hand of God

and is also interceding for us.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

Shall trouble or hardship or persecution

or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?

As it is written:

"For your sake we face death all day long;

we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."  

No, in all these things we are more than

conquerors through him who loved us.

For I am convinced that neither death nor life,

 neither angels nor demons,

neither the present nor the future,

nor any powers, neither height nor depth,

nor anything else in all creation,

 will be able to separate us from the love of God

 that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:31-39

Let your fear move you

to acts of Righteousness.

The Lord is with you,

His rod and staff comfort you. 

Scripture Reading

Psalms 23 NIV

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,

he leads me beside quiet waters,

3 he restores my soul.

He guides me in paths of righteousness

for his name's sake.

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.

5 You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my enemies.

You anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.

6 Surely goodness and love will follow me

all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the LORD

forever.