#DailyDevotion We Need Not Fear Death Or Its Shadow Because Immanuel
Psalm 23 4Even though I walk in a very dark valley, I fear no harm because You are with me; Your rod and Your staff give me comfort. 5You set a table before me right in front of my enemies. You have anointed my head with oil; my cup is running over. 6Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all my life, and I will live in the LORD’s house forever.
Sometimes in translating we have to make choices. I don’t think “dark valley” is the best choice here. It is often translated, “valley of the shadow of death.” Literally it would be rendered “valley of death shadow.” I kind of like the very literal translation. Such is this valley of tears we call “life.” Yet, because of our sin in the Garden, we brought death into this world. We live in this body of death.(Rom. 7:24) We are surrounded by death on every side. Yet because of Immanuel, God with us, we need not fear any harm.
Yes it is God’s and even more intimate, Jesus’ presence with us, that takes away our fears of the shadows which are just that, shadows of death. We should, when alarmed, remember Jesus’ promise in Matthew 28, “remember, I am with you always until the end of the age.” We need to remember Hebrews 13, “5“I will never leave you or desert you.” Jesus has made our hearts His home and throne. We are His temples. Why do we worry so much? Jesus reminds us in Matt. 6, “31Don’t worry, then, and say, ‘What are we going to eat?’ or, ‘What are we going to drink? or, ‘What are we going to wear?’ 32The people of the world run after all these things. Your Father in heaven knows you need them all. 33Seek first God’s kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you, too.” No doubt the author of Hebrews has this in mind when he wrote down those words in chapter 13.
Jesus’ rod and staff comfort us. Jesus will protect us from all our foes that actually matter. Paul in Eph. 6:12 reminds us who they are, “against the rulers, authorities, and lords of this dark world, against the evil spirits that are above.” Jesus gives us His armor to battle with them but also reminds He fights for us, even as He did the ancient Israelites. We do not need to fear them because of Jesus’ rod and staff. Jesus reminds us in John 10, “27My sheep listen to My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me, 28and I give them everlasting life. They will never be lost, and no one will tear them out of My hand. 29My Father, Who gave them to Me, is greater than all others, and no one can tear them out of My Father’s hand. 30I and the Father are one.”
Jesus sets a table before us, that is, His altar whereupon He gives us His body and blood to eat and to drink. He does this right in the face of the enemies previously mentioned. It’s a particularly nice smack in the face to them. For while they sinned against Him he did not redeem them. Yet we too have sinned and rebelled against Him yet out of His great love for us. Having made us in His image and likeness, He became man, suffered and died to redeem and ransom us. He gives us this meal of immortality joining His body and blood to our body and blood. In this eating and drinking by faith we are sealed with eternal life, His life. Death has no hold on us.
He has baptized us with His Holy Spirit which is the anointing with oil. He has made us all kings and priests with Him. As such, good and mercy, steadfast love, kindness, agape love, chase after us into the New Heavens and New Earth, the Promised Land. There we will live in the LORD’s house forever. For there we shall see the LORD God as He is and be like Him. There, there is no more sin, hunger, thirst, darkness or want. He is with us and we are with Him.
Heavenly Father, continually fulfill for us Jesus’ promise of His presence through Word and Sacrament, that we may have the confidence of His presence and we need not fear anything but You, Father, Son and Holy Spirit now and into eternity. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.