Devotion from Pastor Dara | March 17, 2020

 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.
– Psalm 23:4

Light & Darkness

On Sunday night, after a long day of a new kind of worship online, continuing changes in the recommendations of social distancing for the Covid-19 Pandemic and praying without ceasing for my dear colleague, Pastor Joe- my husband and I were putting our children to bed and the power went out in our whole neighborhood.  No street lights, no lights from windows, except the ones far off.  Suddenly, without warning we were surrounded by total darkness.  We searched our home for candles and those flashlights that our kids loved to play with and then hide in random places and we gathered together in our boy’s bedroom.  If all the other stuff didn’t make me stop, this night did.

Our minds were spinning with preparations for the worst, if we didn’t have power the next day, what would we do?  Even as we walked around with candles and flashlights, we kept automatically reaching for light switches in each room we entered.  And then we just stopped.  We tucked our boys into bed, sat down on their floor and read books by candlelight.  In those quiet moments we paused and instead of worry and anxiety, we gave thanks for all the things we did have-  Thanks be to God for each day.  Thanks be to God for electricity that helps us see, have fresh food, heat and everything else.  Thanks be to God that our family was together.  Thanks be to God that no matter what we face, we aren’t alone.

In Old Testament days, darkness was an especially scary thing.  Darkness in the Bible can mean both fear and death.  And Psalm 23 reminds us that no matter what, when we walk through the valleys of the darkness and death, we have nothing to fear because the Lord, Our God is our shepherd, our hope and our strength.

A Prayer

God, our Good Shepherd, grant us peace and hope to see Christ’s light even in our darkest moments.  Take away our fears and help us see all the gifts you have already given us.  Amen.