Yea, 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.

It would be nice if life was always sunshine and roses. It would be nice if life was always mountain top after mountain top. There would never be any gray skies or rain. There would never be any dark valleys or impassable rivers. Everything would always go our way. Everything would always turn out right.

We don't live in a world like that, obviously, and all of us have to come to grips with that fact in one way or another. How will we handle it? Will we try to go it alone? Will we rely on family and friends? The trouble with relying on ourselves is that we are limited, fallible people who don't always have the abilities necessary for the journey, or the knowledge necessary to find our way. Friends and family can be helpful, but they are not always willing to help, or they are not always in a position to help, or they have nothing better to offer. When rain, valleys, and darkness come our way, people are not very reliable when all is said and done.

In the journey of life, David does not ultimately rely on himself or family and friends for direction and help. For David, the Lord is his shepherd (Psalm 23:1). He turns to the Lord for help in negotiating the perilous pathways of life that we must sometimes traverse. He follows the Lord through the dark valleys, even the valleys where death is a real prospect at every turn. David has made the decision that following the Lord is better than following anything or anybody else.

In the dark valleys David fears no evil, though evil may be lurking everywhere. Just as sheep are comforted by the shepherd's staff, so David is comforted by the presence of the Lord. Come what may, he knows that it will work out well for him because the Lord can be relied upon to protect him. The Lord is the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep (John 10:11).

There is a very good shepherd available for following if you are willing. He will not lead you astray; He will not abandon you when evil comes around; He will always be there and He will always care.

Old Testament Reading
Numbers 5, 6

Numbers 5 -- Purity of the Camp; the Adultery Test

  NIV   NLT   ESV   NAS   GWT   KJV   ASV   ERV   DRB

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Numbers 6 -- The Vow of the Nazirite and the Priestly Blessing

  NIV   NLT   ESV   NAS   GWT   KJV   ASV   ERV   DRB

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New Testament Reading
Mark 4:1-20

Mark 4 -- Parables of the Sower, Lamp on a Stand, Seed Growing Secretly, Mustard Seed; Jesus Calms the Sea

  NIV   NLT   ESV   NAS   GWT   KJV   ASV   ERV   DRB

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Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library.