Even though I walk through the valley of the
shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
Psalm 23: 4
On Sunday at 10th June 2017, I had an incident at work. I’ve got robbed when I was on duty. Apparently, on that night, we have a short member. It was about 01:00 a.m., one of the team members was asked to head out earlier. I notice that it has been such a long shift for him, and he might get exhausted with handling shift with only a few people on the team. However, I asked him to stay a bit longer, but he refused. So I end up releasing him. I felt insecure, but I can’t do much.
In about 15 minutes, the second member was also asked to leave due to catch the last train home. I asked her to stay longer same as I asked the previous member that has just gone. However, she has a strong reason to leave for her safety. It has been my responsibility as a supervisor, to make sure that the shift is going well and prioritize the team’s safety. I end up releasing her as well. So I was the only person that still left behind in the store. It was about 01:15 a.m., I was planning to finish up a few things. I kept the door closed but I didn't lock it as I thought that I’m about to leave soon after I check everything up. Suddenly about another 3 minutes later, there was noise from the entrance door. Someone had pushed the door very hard, and all of sudden the chairs that kept the door closed were falling and had created a loud sound on the floor. I was screaming badly and this guy came closer in front of my face and said, “Where is the money? Show me the money or I will shoot you. I bring a gun now!” He walked right behind me and pointing his gun under his jacket towards me. I followed whatever he asked me to do. He took out some money from the company that I work with and ran away.
I can say that was the scariest moment in my life. This incident had only happened for a few seconds, but I felt that the distance between life and death was very close. At that time I felt like all of sudden my blood was flaring up from down of my feet till the top of my head, my heartbeat was raging, and I can feel that my hand was shaking. However, I found the depth belief down in my soul saying, “God, I know that you are in control, and this is not the reason why you called me to be here! And I know the purpose of my life is bigger than what this guy is trying to do.” I didn't get hurt from this incident. However, I’m suffering from anxiety and trauma for a few months after this happened.
Have you ever found the experience where death is hunting you and nearly catch you down into its trap? And your heart might full of fear, terror, distress, suspicion, anxiety, and worry. I wonder if you are in my position what would you do? For me, all I can do is just surrender to the authority of the Creator that has immeasurable power to save me.
God has designed the humanity with the ability to choose. He gave his first command to Adam and Eve not to eat any fruit from the tree of knowledge. But in the end, Eve gave up her life to listen to what the enemy said. On Genesis 3:1 it says, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” The correlation between that story with mine is that I can probably turn the question, “Did God really say that he will protect me? If so, why he let the thief came in and made me suffer from the anxiety ?”
I want you to take Psalm 23:4 more deeply. David confidently declares, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” It is the metaphor sentence, meaning it’s not obviously "walking through the valley of the shadow of the death," this is just the imaginary words to describe how the author feels. The second line has the similarity with Deuteronomy 31:8 that's written, “The Lord himself goes before and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged.” This was the word from God for Joshua through Moses. We see here, God speaks to the different person, through different generation but the promise is still the same. Psalm 23:4 also occurs in the context of lament. Dan Allender mentioned that “. . . the language of lament is oddly the shadow side of faith.”
There is another story in the Bible where David found great pressure from Saul who tried to kill him. It was probably one of the most dangerous situations in his life. We found few times David escaped to the wilderness (1 Samuel 23-24). Apparently, he sees encouragement in the unpredictable condition. One time Jonathan, Saul’s son that is becoming David’s best friend came to him and reminded him again of God’s purpose in his life, “Don’t be afraid. My father Saul will not lay hand on you. You will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul knows this.” These words are profoundly delivered as the encouragement as this had been spoken in the midst of the dangerous situation in his life.
I wonder how many of us who read this are in the phrase like David or me who have gone through the scariest moment in life where we almost close to death. God can meet you at wherever situation you are in right now. Even in the wilderness like David. Although, the wilderness can be interpreted as the hiding place where it doesn't seem comfortable. However, you will meet what you exactly need. Specifically, people go into the wilderness to run away for finding refuge and protection. God will meet you there. His assurance is for those who take refuge in Him.
Now if you are going through the scariest moment of your life? What is it? Disease? Divorce? Cancer? Lost? Grief? The moment where your faith is tested. If Jesus is standing right in front of you right now, would you open your heart to just believe? If you don't understand why your life is turning into such a way that you didn't expect, then you just need to trust. Would open your eyes to see the greatness of God that is about to come in your life? We should be reminded, things that have been started in spirit cannot be replaced by something that is coming from our flesh. In another way, your revelation with God has brought you going through the journey of faith. The deliverance will never be accomplished if we still play with our fear, anxiety, anger, self-esteem that came from our flesh.
Notes :
Alphacrucis College, “Presentation of ‘Poetry and Wisdom’ in the Biblical Hermeneutic Class”, Sydney, NSW, September 21, 2016.
The NIV Study Bible, ed.Kenneth Barker (Michigan: Zondervan Corporation, 1995), 800
Amanda Fergusson, “Presenting the ‘Psalm of Lament, Trust and Thanksgiving’ in the Old Testament Studies Class” (keynote available at Hillsong College Portal, Sydney, NSW, September 25, 2015)
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