Rabbi’s Reflections – Monday, January 20, 2025
Shalom,

Psalms
Psalm 23:4 – Part 6

Psalm 23:4 Even 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 comfort me.

Like several other verses, we’re going to have to break this up into it’s parts.  Today, let’s meditate on the happy subject of “the valley of the shadow of death.”  I say “happy” (even though it can be an intimidating place) because “even though I walk” there, the promise is that I am comforted by God’s rod and staff (which represent His presence).

And while we’re on the subject of death, let’s talk about the “shadowy” nature of our common promise.  I’m not going to tell you (because I don’t want to) who said, “None of us are getting out of here alive,” but he was both right and wrong.  Longfellow, in his poem, “A Psalm Of Life” was more right when he penned this second stanza… “Life is real, life is earnest, And the grave is not its goal.  Dust thou art, to dust returnest, Was not spoken of the soul.”

Death is not the worst thing that can happen, eternity in hell is.  As the worshipper and song writer, Misty Edwards, wrote, “My body may perish, it’s only a shadow.”  But every shadow is always attached to a greater reality.  If my body is only a shadow, the greater reality to which it is attached is my spirit.  It’s my spirit that will live forever, and your spirit too, if you belong to Yeshua.

Romans 8:8 So those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 However, you are not in the flesh but in the Ruach—if indeed the Ruach Elohim dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Ruach of Messiah, he does not belong to Him. 10 But if Messiah is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the Spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11 And if the Ruach of the One who raised Yeshua from the dead dwells in you, the One who raised Messiah Yeshua from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Ruach who dwells in you.

Shadows require light.  There are no shadows in darkness.  When the Lord is your light and your Savior, you have no fear.  Psalm 27:1  Of David. Adonai is my light and my salvation: whom should I fear? Adonai is the stronghold of my life: whom should I dread?

Shalom shalom.

Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/
Mon 20-Jan-2025 20th of Tevet, 5785
Ex 6:14-28 2 Sa 24 Ps 99-100 Lk 16 (Gal 6)