MaryEllen Montville

“Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.” –Psalm 23:4.

The Lord has led me to this Psalm, a personal favorite, in times of trials, loss, pain, fear, or need: for wisdom, comfort, provision, direction, and as a reminder that Jesus is the same God in this season as He was in seasons past. Faithful to meet my every need then, and equally able to meet it now. He’s God, forever meeting me in my place of need. My Shepherd, who will comfort me, give me the wisdom, direction, and discernment I need—not necessarily the answer I want or am praying for.

For that, though challenging to take in at times, I am grateful nonetheless.

Jesus’ calling me to more, the uncomfortable, unforeseeable more, that affords me the opportunity to grow in Him, become more like Him.

To put the full weight of my trust in Him, above everyone, especially myself; having done that more times than I’d care to admit, with what I can say were less favorable outcomes. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” –Proverbs 3:5-6

Jesus alone has seen my end from my beginning; He alone knows what’s best for me—on this one Truth I have bet my life…

Jesus is asking me to step out in faith for yet another Red Sea adventure with Him, to trust Him; maybe He’s asking the same of you in this season as well, beloved? Asking that we fix our eyes on Him. To encourage ourselves when what we see in front of us has yet to manifest into the fullness of what He has promised. To keep pressing into Him, moving forward by faith, trusting His leading by reminding ourselves of His unswerving faithfulness in every detail of our lives—how He’s met our every need—in times past. So let’s keep each other in prayer as we cast our nets out yet again, at our Master’s command.

Jesus alone has always been, and always will be, my Provider: I pray you can say the same. Jesus’ care of me—and you—is nothing if not personal. “The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.” –Emphasis my own.

Child of God, perhaps you too need a reminder of who Jesus has been to you in seasons past, in order to mount up in the strength you need today, and to keep pressing into Him for your right-now needs. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.”

New friend, if you have yet to meet Jesus for yourself, if you don’t have a loving, committed one-on-one relationship with Him, today is the day Jesus has ordained for the two of you to have such a relationship. Despite your age, your health, your financial standing—whether single, married, or divorced, man, woman, gay, straight, or a transgender young adult, despite your past, no matter how messed up and sinful it may have been; God’s not finished with you yet. How can I say this with certainty?

You’re still here.

So long as there is breath in your lungs, Jesus is reaching out to you—still, or yet again. “Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life.”

Jesus is offering you all that you’ll ever need, in every season He’ll lead you through, and so much more—if you’ll let Him. How? It starts by inviting Him into your heart. Repenting of your sis and meaning it. Because at the end of the day, it’s your heart Jesus is after. A heart fully surrendered to Him—His will, into His care, and into His unfathomable love for you. Jesus desires your all-in trust. “My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes delight in my ways.” –Proverbs 23:26.

Is the Great Shepherd calling you into a new ministry, move, or a new position perhaps, in His Kingdom, child of God? Something that, in the natural, looks impossible. The finances don’t line up. You can’t see the end from the beginning—so you’re afraid to step or misstep, possibly?

Perhaps Jesus is asking you to let go completely of what you know is an answer to prayer, the very thing He alone is responsible for providing for you. That home, church family, that circle of brothers and sisters you’ve built bonds with—a rhythm that works and flows with ease, given to you for a season by God—but now, He’s asking you to release it, and to trust Him, sight unseen, for your next “God-thing.”

Or maybe you are walking through the valley of loss—the shadow of death has passed over you. Even now, darkening everything in front of you, making it impossible for you to see clearly. Are you mourning the passing of a loved one, a child you miscarried, or your closest friend—that one who was more of a brother or sister, really—and you’re feeling like the weight of such grief will surely crush you? Hold on! Run to Jesus. He is near, He is near! “Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me.”

Hold fast to the Good Shepherd as you walk through your Red Sea moment with Jesus by your side, reminding yourself: “I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.”

Beloved, if the Lord is asking you to take your hands off something He’s given you—entrusted to you for a time—even a long time, don’t hesitate—I know, easier said than done; I’ll remind you here, however, that everything and everyone you have or have had the privilege of “getting to” know—rightfully belongs to the Lord. Hard as it may be to see or understand right now—you must, must, walk by faith and not sight, lest you fall.

Asking “why” right now is asking the wrong question, beloved—even though you long for God to answer you, give you some reason to help make sense of things; still, Job taught us God owes us no such answers.

The correct question, in every season, loss or plenty, mountain or valley, is this: “What are you trying to teach me, Lord?” Because whatever you are experiencing had to first pass through God’s Sovereign hands; thus, He is using it to shape you into the image and likeness of His Son, Jesus. Whether that makes sense to you now or not.

Our Father always does what is best for us—not what we understand or feel comfortable with—and we do well to remember that by remembering He bought and paid for us with the spotless Blood of our Good Shepherd. “You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.”

Friends, I encourage you to read Psalm 23 in its entirety; regardless of the season you’re in, it will bless you. As you read it, do so remembering Who this Psalm is speaking of; then, posture your hearts with the respect, deference, openness to His will, and the righteous fear due the name of Jesus. “He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.”

Psalm 23 is all about Jesus, beloved: His heart toward you.

Line after line speaks to His very nature and Character. What He has done and is doing in your life and mine, every day, in every circumstance, because He first loved us. The Lord is our Shepherd; we shall not want, even when you and I walk through what can certainly feel in the moment like our darkest valley.

“The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” –John 10:3-5;10

As with the Master, so with His students: will you lay down your life for Him, child of God—when you hear His voice calling you into unfamiliar pastures?