
1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters;
3 he restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths
for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
I fear no evil;
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff—
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
my whole life long.
-Psalm 23, NRSV
I read these words this week — as I’ve read them so many times before — while standing in a funeral home, looking out upon a grieving family, seeking to share a word of help and hope. I read these words this week — as I’ve read them so many times before — in that darkest valley, the valley of the shadow of death.
In the midst of covid-tide, too many families are walking that valley. Even those of us who are not grieving the loss of a specific person are grieving in the midst of this season. As covid-tide wears on, we find ourselves in the valley of the shadow of death.
If you’re feeling the heaviness of that shadowed valley, I want you to hear the words that I so often share with families and loved ones in the midst of grief:
- Someday, we’ll talk about COVID in the past tense.
- Someday, we’ll emerge from this season of covid-tide.
- Someday, church. Someday.
When that day comes, I don’t know what the final word on COVID will be… but I do know who will have the last word.
It is the One whose very name is Love.
Blessings,
Pastor Candy
Remember, friends:
Our God is bigger than coronavirus.
Our vision is bigger than coronavirus, too.
We are people blessing people.
We are Wesley Church.
Want to know more?
- Learn about our church and its ministries: https://wesleychurch.com/
- Make a gift to support our mission: https://wesleychurch.com/giving-2/
- View our recent messages: https://wesleychurch.com/sermon-message-on-video/
- View previous devotionals: https://wesleychurch.com/pastor-candys-devotionals-2/