Psalm 23:4,6- Through The Valleys-{Aidan’s Illness- April 13- 2023}

April 13 2023

Dear friends of the King,

I hope this will encourage, and strengthen you to rest in His permanent presence with you as your personal Shepherd who has purchased you and prizes you as one of His sheep. As you consider some truths with me that have come out of a couple of nights of little sleep, much pain, and difficulty breathing at times as the LORD has comforted me through His precious Word from Psalm 23

Tomorrow Friday I see a Hematologist regards some scan results.
This week I had an infusion and did not do well afterward. So Dr has stopped any further treatments… A second Dr contacted me tonight saying he agrees to stop the procedure. Another Doctor’s goal who works with me trying to stop in his words the “suffering” and try to give me some “quality of life.” But it now appears they have given up on this treatment.
I am a bit disappointed as I had some wonderful opportunities at times to share while there.
Most days are very very difficult, “But God…”

My “Medical Ministry” has given me some wonderful opportunities to share with others. But I am tired, weary from pain but in it like these past couple of days with just a couple of hours sleep each night I have found GREAT Comfort in His Word and in particular Psalm 23 and the truth that the Shepherd leads all his sheep THROUGH each valley of difficulty. There is fear and evil in the valley but neither can stop our Great Shepherd from leading us THROUGH all the valleys of difficulties. They are not the authority or final destination, but the unseen Hand of God is at work as He providentially leads us THROUGH each valley all the way to the Father’s house to see the Shepherd face to face!- {Read 1 John 3:1-3}. How wonderful is that!

Not Something to look forward to but SOMEONE to look forward to!

In the meantime, we keep going ever learning to lean and trust the Shepherd who goes with us and is for us and is taking us THROUGH each valley of difficulty as difficult and at times through tears, and heartaches they may be.

But we have the Shepherd to Lead us, the Shepherd who is with us and our past? Oh, yeah the SHpeherd has provided for that as well, with “Only GOODNESS and LOVINGKINDNESS shall PURSUE me all the days of my life….”

Surrounded, ENVELOPED by the Loving care, provision, and power of the LORD who is “MY Shepherd.”

CONSIDER THE OPPORTUNITIES;

1.- Going THROUGH the Valley of Difficulties is not Unique to us individually.

Others also go THROUGH THOSE dark, difficult times of fear, evil, and distress, and so as with the words of Paul we must remember OTHERS, and as God has comforted us so too “who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”-{2 Cor 1:4}. God comforts us, so we can comfort others. The Psalmist testified to this too when he said, “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, THEY COMFORT ME.”-{Psalm 23:4}. Out of the crushing of affliction, The Shepherd comforts us and then commissions us to COMFORT OTHERS!

2. – Also, the Opportunity to share THE SHEPHERD and encourage Others of His Sheep.

…that He is in control and they can rest in Him who is their personal permanently present tense Shepherd who is leading them THROUGH each and every valley of difficulty to ultimately meet Him face to Face! Glory!

3. – Also, the Opportunity to tell others of THE SHEPHERD to come to submit to Him.

…who has Created them and trade in their false “shepherd guides” be it themselves, others,… Peace is found in a Person the LORD who is “my Shepherd” ”

“My father often told a favorite story about a little boy who was desperately ill. His parents recognized that he probably soon would die, so they sent for the local pastor. He came at night to visit the semiconscious child. He was unable to speak and apparently never spoke in any acknowledgment of the pastor’s presence. The pastor was alone in the child’s upstairs room and left late at night. He returned early the next morning after the boy had died. He did his best to console the parents. He prayed with them. He grieved with them.

Later the parents asked the pastor if he had any explanation for something that had happened. They told the pastor that in the hours before their son died and at the time of his death, he was holding the ring finger of one hand with his other hand. He died in that position. It was then the pastor explained what he had said that night in the child’s room.

He had wanted to explain to that child on the edge of eternity not only the importance of being a Christian but also, in a child’s language, how to become one. He had taken their son’s hand, held the boy’s thumb, and said, “The—because, we’re talking about one of a kind.” Then he held his forefinger and said, “Lord.” Next he held the middle finger and said, “God himself is right here.” Holding the ring finger, he said, “My—a personal commitment and relationship.” Finally, he held the pinky and said, “Shepherd—the one who owns us, died for us, cares for and loves us—Jesus.” While he had not spoken, the child had heard. Before he died, he put his hand around the finger to say, “The Lord is my shepherd.”-{Anderson}

“The LORD is MY Shepherd,”

…speaks of Dependence, Ownership, and Relationship, His Responsibility for each sheep, and the conclusion “…I shall not want!” Confidence in the Shepherd. Contentment with the Shepherd!

Knowing HE Will meet every need including in the VALLEY OF DIFFICULTY- He will meet us there also with Himself, Provision, promises, and is always present, no matter how dark it gets, He is with us!

“MEDICAL MINISTRY,”

is what I have jokingly called my opportunities, as so much are with patients and medical staff where the LORD has given me the favor to share. Recently I walked into a large waiting room in a hospital. As I walked to the counter where a receptionist had beckoned me she asked “How are you? I responded as I limped along aided by my walking stick, “WALKING THROUGH, I’M WALKING THROUGH THE VALLEY OF DIFFICULTY…” but not alone the LORD is my Shepherd and walks with me. I began to share with her… she teared up…. and then looked me up on her computer to see about my appointment only to discover I was in the wrong part of the building! She left her desk and started to walk me out the door down a hallway to point me to where I needed to be, and with that, she again teared up and said “I needed to hear that!”

A WEEK LATER I walked back into her office, as this time I did have an appointment with a Doctor in that office, and upon seeing me asked “How are you?” And again I shared I was “WALKING THROUGH THE VALLEY OFDIFFICLTIES” with the LORD as my Shepherd. I shared with her how I had been thinking about Psalm 23 and I shared with her, there was no one else in the waiting room, she began to cry and sob as I shared about HIM. She thanked me again, And I shared with her that the week before I wasn’t lost or in the WRONG OFFICE, I WAS IN THE RIGHT PLACE FOR HER SAKE to share of Him, who loves and cares for her.

Sometimes we may think we are in the wrong place when in fact we are being Providentially guided by The Shepherd to reach out to one of His to comfort them or to share and invite others to Come to Him. Wherever we are- with Paul may we look to see and say, “Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel,”-{Philippians 1:12}. Our Circumstances are to depend more upon Him and opportunities to lovingly declare “THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD I SHALL NOT WANT” WITH THEM!

Some Sow, other waters, God gives the increase. Don’t waste your circumstances.

Perhaps tomorrow He will afford another Opportunity to share of Him our Shepherd.