Brown's Daily Word 9-16-09

Good morning,
We had dinner with some friends last night. There were two couples, one of which has been married for 62 years, the other for 63 years. Both couples grew up during the great Depression and both husbands served in Second World War. It was a great blessing to hear them share stories of God's Great Faithfulness in their lives.
There are some things in life that are only fully appreciated with a few years under our belt. Longfellow, the poet, expressed it like this:

"Age is opportunity no less
Than youth itself, though in another dress
And as the evening twilight fades away,
The sky is filled with stars invisible by day.
(Henry Wadsworth Longfellow)

Though one’s eyes may dim with the years, some things become clearer. That is part of the reason Scripture can say that “gray hair is a crown of splendor” (Proverbs 16:31). It is also why the Lord would tell Abraham that he would live to a “good old age” (Gen 15:15)
One of the most beloved Psalms, the 23rd, speaks of sheep and the Shepherd. The Psalm is obviously about something more profound. It is about a God who knows us, who cares about us, and who never abandons us, no matter what! Most of all, the words of the 23rd Psalm express what those who have lived long know well by personal experience. It is that which the years teach us about God. God is faithful all the time in His Presence, in his Provision, and in his Protection. Note how verses 1 and 6 express this. “The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. …Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” God is faithful in his presence!
God will never abandon us, no matter what. This is a lesson that usually takes years to learn. Only a man or woman who has been through some hard times really understands what it means for God to be faithful. Before we have been tested and tried, we may be tempted to think that God is not really capable of seeing us through hard times. Younger folk are more prone to give up on faith when difficulty comes, but many older folk have learned better.
James probably had some gray hair when he wrote, “Consider it pure joy, my brother when you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything" (1:1-4). Years can teach us that God takes care of the problems of life, and he does a good job. Paul spoke from this experience later, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength. (Phil. 4:11-13).
God is faithful in the toughest times of life, even in the face of death itself. Listen to the central part of the psalm: "He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 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. God is faithful in his protection".
The most emotionally gripping phrase in the Psalm comes in this central section—though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death. That is an appropriate image, as the descent into a valley can be pretty scary. I remember going down the one of the steepest valley's of the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania few summers ago. One of the biggest problems about a valley is the limited vision. In the valley, you can’t see much. Your vision, though, is limited. Of course, the valley is also the place where the fog collects first. The deeper the valley, the denser the fog. In the valley there are also shadows. The sun rises late and sets early on the valley floor. Valleys are like that, especially the valley of the shadow of death. Still, it is good to remember that it is in the darkest of times that God does some of his great work in our lives.
It is also true that the climb out of a valley can be hard work. The quick descent can be scary, but the trip back up is hard work and a lot slower. Grief and sorrow are natural, but never easy! The valley is where things grow. Mountains provide beautiful vistas and a sense of freedom, but that’s not where the tallest trees and the best fruit grow. The valley can make you stronger and better. Valleys are like that.
Donald Barnhouse was the pastor of Philadelphia’s Tenth Presbyterian Church at the time when his wife died. He was left with young daughters to raise by himself. He did something that I could never do. He preached his own wife’s funeral. It was while driving to that funeral that he realized that he had to say something to comfort his girls.
They stopped at a traffic light while driving to the funeral. It was a bright day, and the sun was streaming into the car and warming it. A truck pulled up next to them, and the shadow that came with the truck darkened the inside of the car. It was then that he turned to his daughters and asked, "Would you rather be hit by the shadow or by the truck?"
One of them responded, "Oh, Daddy, that’s a silly question! The shadow can’t hurt you. I would rather be hit by the shadow than by a truck."
It was then that he tried to explain to them that their mother had died and that it was as if she had been hit by a shadow. It was as if Jesus had stepped in the way in her place, and it was he who had been hit by the truck. He quoted the familiar words of Psalm 23: "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me." (Leith Anderson, "Valley of Death’s Shadow," .)

Our God is faithful: The poet was right.
"Age is opportunity no less
Than youth itself, though in another dress
And as the evening twilight fades away,
The sky is filled with stars invisible by day.

" Indeed, some things do become clearer with age."

In Christ,
Brown

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0k1WhFtVp0o