Truth for Today

“Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Matthew 5:3

Christ begins His most well-known sermon with an interesting opener: blessed are the poor in spirit.

Immediately, Christ’s words are contrary to the common American mindset that wealth equals happiness. We are bombarded with commercials and advertisements where actors smile at us as if to say, “If you only had this product you would be happy.” And in our minds, we play out over and over how just a little more money would solve our problems, relieve our stress and maybe, just maybe, give us a little more happiness.

But Christ did not speak about money here. He said blessed are the poor in spirit. Now, poor in spirit is not to be understood as having low self-esteem or being self-condemning. Rather, Jesus is speaking of those who are spiritually poor. They have nothing to bring to Jesus spiritually. We recognize that someone can have all the riches in the world but be a spiritual beggar.

So, Jesus begins His sermon with the promise that the spiritually destitute will have the kingdom of heaven. What does that mean? This phrase brings us to the starting point of the Gospel message, we can do nothing to save ourselves. While many think that salvation consists in doing a variety of good deeds that will outweigh their bad deeds, the Scriptures teach us that salvation comes only through Jesus Christ—alone. We bring nothing to Him that enables, helps, or co-operates with Him in our eternal salvation. It is either by His eternal grace alone, or it is by our works alone.

A friend of mine served in the Marine Corps and was part of the invasion of Iraq to overthrow Saddam Hussein’s regime. When he returned, he gave me a worthless souvenir from his deployment. He brought me back some Iraqi currency that had Saddam’s face printed on it. After the regime fell, the currency became worthless. It is a unique historical piece but worth nothing at all.

Far too many assume that they have all kinds of good deeds stored up for them when they die, and they should be okay. When instead what we have is a bunch of good deeds that are a lot like that Iraqi currency, it will do us no good for eternal salvation. There may be a lot of it stocked up but it is worthless. The prophet Isaiah wrote that all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; they are useless and vile (Isaiah 64:6). That is because compared to the sinlessness of Jesus Christ, our good deeds are still spiritually poor.

The only hope of salvation is to come to Jesus spiritually poor, receiving from Him everything by His grace.

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: And I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.”

Psalm 23:6

My family and I are transplants to the north country of New Hampshire. When we first visited Woodsville, everything and everyone was new to us. However, over the course of the six years since this has become home for us. Now when we see the sign for Woodsville on the interstate, there is a feeling of relief that our journey is coming to an end and we are almost home.

That sense of home is what David writes about in this final verse of Psalm 23. I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever, but since the Lord is my shepherd, this is my home.

For the believer in Christ, this verse holds the feeling of relief that our journey is coming to an expected, joyful end in our new home of heaven. We look over the horizon a bit in anticipation of our eternal home and we feel like we are almost there.

While we do not know how long it will be before we find our true rest in that home, we are reassured that God’s goodness and mercy will follow us wherever we go. Each day we are sustained by the presence of the Holy Spirit and His peace. Though we walk through the dark valley, though there are enemies around us and though trials continue to come our way, we are always blessed by the goodness of God.

And part of that daily blessing is the expectation and anticipation of home. We can endure the suffering of today because we know that it is nothing compared to the blessing of our home in heaven.

“For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”

Romans 8:18

At one time, I thought this kind of talk was all just sentimental mumbo-jumbo that people needed to hear to make themselves feel better. But I’ve grown to realize that the anticipation of eternal rest in our new home in heaven brings peace to our hearts and that is a blessing in itself. While this world crumbles around us and our lives struggle through pain after pain, we can focus our attention on that eternal rest in heaven.

While I’ve grown to enjoy living here and call it home, I must make an important caveat to that statement – I’m looking forward to a far greater home in heaven. Like the men and women of faith in Hebrews 11, I’m looking for a city whose builder and maker is God (Hebrews 11:13-16). I’m looking for home, the house of the Lord.

“Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.”

Psalm 23:5

Recently as I was reading a story to my daughter, we came across the ever-familiar warning signal found in movies and books, “It’s very quiet. Too quiet.” And of course, as we have been trained to recognize, there was danger up ahead.

Though we may chuckle at that for being a cheesy line, the thought behind it lingers in our minds. Whenever we find ourselves in a position where things are going well, we begin to worry about what bad thing is going to happen. We are convinced that some new calamity is just around the corner.

In this incredible psalm, the journey of the sheep with the Good Shepherd has taken us from the green pastures and still waters through the dark valley of the shadow of death to a spot that is good for food. David writes that a table is spread before him. Of course, a table for a sheep is more green grass, so before the sheep opens up this bountiful field (or table) of grass to eat.

We are through the valley, past the dark shadows that make us nervous and are feasting in a new field. Yet, there are still enemies around. David describes this as a feast in front of his enemies. Things are going well again, but the enemy still lurks.

This reveals for us the need for faith in God even during times of his blessing and provision. Walking through the dark valley, we recognize our need for faith, but in the open field, we can get comfortable and stray from Him. Here David recognizes that he needs to continually trust in the Lord, for there are always enemies around.

Perhaps it is a greater test of our faith to trust God in the bountiful field than in the dark valley. In the valley, the enemy is just a shadow, an unknown, but in the field, he is clearly seen. Which is harder to trust God for, the unknown danger or the danger we know is facing us today? Is it easier to trust in God when everything is dark and cloudy, or when we know full well the trouble up ahead?

When things are too quiet, we get nervous. Surely, something bad is going to happen and we won’t let ourselves rest easy. But if we remind ourselves of the abiding presence of the Good Shepherd we can live with courage in the dark valley or in the open field.

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”

Psalm 23:4

Many readers may remember the popular clothing brand from the mid-90’s and early 2000’s, No Fear. It seemed like all of the cool kids used to have at least one of their t-shirts or hats.

While the clothing may not be around anymore, the idea behind it still persists. We want to feel like we are brave and courageous and that nothing can make us afraid. Something happens though as we grow into adults, whether we admit it to others or not, but we have more to fear now than we ever did as teens with “cool” shirts. Life is full of problems and unknowns leaving us with a sense of unease or uncertainty.

It’s amazing all the words we use instead of what we are truly feeling, fear.

David says he is walking through the valley of the shadow of death and he has no fear of evil. Is David just putting on a good front of bravery or is he able to say with confidence, I will fear no evil?

He explains that his lack of fear is not because of his own inherent bravery and ability but because of the presence of God as his Shepherd. The reason he is unafraid is the Shepherd who is leading him.

In the valley, David is not focused upon the problems but about the Shepherd. He is not afraid because “thou art with me.” Is not a common habit for us to consider our problems more than we consider the goodness and protection of God? We worry through all of the scenarios of what might happen, or what could happen and soon we have convinced ourselves that it will all happen. We dwell in a pit of fear-producing possibilities.

But not David. David’s gaze is fixed, not on the outlines of predators trying to get close to him, but on the figure of the Lord leading him. His mind is set on that strong staff and powerful club that the Shepherd will use to protect him.

There is a strong irony to what David says here that we may miss. David is writing of himself as if he were a sheep and he says that as a sheep he will not have fear. Though I am no expert sheep are not the bravest animal around. They are skittish, nervous and fearful animals. It is not the sheep’s natural constitution that produces calm but the presence of the shepherd. And it is not natural for us to walk through dark trials without fear, that can only come by the calm reassurance of the presence and protection of the Great Shepherd.

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”

Psalm 23:4

For those grieving the loss of a loved one, or for those who have faced their own imminent death, Psalm 23 has been a timeless source of comfort. Its familiar words of walking with the Shepherd through the valley of the shadow of death have spoken peace to their broken or fearful hearts. But I would hasten to add that this verse goes further in its application than the time of grief and ministers to us throughout many different valleys that we will walk through.

David’s psalm imagines himself as a sheep walking through life alongside his Shepherd, the Lord. At times, the Shepherd will lead him to good pastures that are comfortable and easy, but He will also lead through valleys that are dangerous and dark. The valley becomes a narrow passage for the already vulnerable sheep to feel even more exposed to the threat of death from surrounding predators. So, this verse includes not only death itself but the threat of death and in general the danger we face in life’s many trials.

Here David expresses in vivid images that having God as our Shepherd does not eliminate danger, suffering, or trials from our lives. Rather, he states that it is God himself who leads us into and through these valleys. The Good Shepherd leads us into the vulnerable, narrow passage where our enemies lurk and the threat of danger and harm are nearby.

There is a Biblical example of this played out in real life in the story of Joseph in Genesis. Joseph is rejected by his brothers, sold into slavery, falsely accused, unjustly imprisoned, and then promptly forgotten in prison. After several years, he is released from prison and given great power to guide Egypt through a famine. Through God’s providence, he is reunited with his family and is able to help them. At the end of it all, he tells his brothers that what they had meant for evil, God meant for good. (Genesis 50:19-20)

God guided Joseph through the valley of betrayal, slavery, imprisonment, and life in a foreign country so that he could rescue his family from famine. God lead him through the dark valley.

The Christian recognizes that God has not promised us an easy life of luxury and peace. Rather, we recognize that God will lead us into valleys that we would never choose for ourselves so that He might teach us of Himself. For in this valley, David is not looking at the problem, but at his Shepherd. The shadows do not scare him because he is walking beside his God.

We rest in that ever-important word through. God leads us through the valley, right alongside us each step of the way.