Friday, August 7, 2009

Valley of the Shadow of Death

I am still reading the book Pilgrim's Progress. I came to the part where Christian has to journey through the Valley of the Shadow of Death. This valley is filled with darkness and the path is narrow, with one side having a ditch and the other side a mire. Taking this path requires a constant balancing act. When Christian lifted his foot to take a step forward he did not know where his foot would land. Also along the path were hideous noises, flames, smoke and sparks. To keep balance on this path Christian resorted to prayer. He could be heard crying out "O Lord save me!" Here is a quote from the book:

"He went on like this for a great while, but the flames were still reaching him. He heard threatening voices and rushing about, so that sometimes he thought he would be torn in pieces or trodden down like mud in the roads. For several miles altogether he saw these frightening sights and heard these dreadful noises; and coming to a place where he thought he heard a gang of fiends coming toward him, he stopped and began to consider what would be the best thing to do. Sometimes he had half a mind to go back; then he thought again that he might be halfway through the valley. Also, he remembered how he had already vanquished many a danger and that the risk of going back might be much more than going forward. So he resolved to go on, yet the fiends seemed to come nearer and nearer.

When they had almost reached him, Christian cried out with a most earnest voice, "I will go in the strength of the Lord God.""

Do you feel as if you are walking through the Valley of the Shadow of Death? Are you crying out "O Lord save me!"? I am. Certainly Christian is a good example for us to follow. So keep praying, keep moving forward and say in an earnest voice, "I will go in the strength of the Lord."