Wednesday, April 22, 2026

Scripture

“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me.” Psalm 23:4a

Reflections

What does it mean to say, “God is with us?”

Covid-19 came as a scary time for so many.  In just a few short weeks, our entire world dramatically changed.  Day after day there was news of things getting worse and worse.  Everyone had reason to fear for their own life.  Everyone felt vulnerable.

The psalmist in Psalm 23 describes an image of walking through a very dark valley.  In the dark, evil flourishes.  You never know what might happen.  That’s how our lives are at times.  We know evil is out there.  We feel fearful and vulnerable.  We just don’t always know when and where we will encounter it.

And yet, the psalmist says, “I fear no evil.”  Why?  Because God is with him.  We may not see God like Moses saw God on Mt. Sinai but we can see his Spirit at work through other people.  When we see love and kindness, we see God—for God is love.  When hospitals were filled with Covid patients, intensive care nurses and doctors would “adopt” suffering people who had little or no access to their families.  Love and care were being lived from one stranger to another.

God is with us in love.  “Perfect love casts out fear.” (1 Jn. 4:18b)

Prayer

Lord God, thank you for being my shepherd.  Help me to see you through the love and care of others around me.  Quell my fears.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Full Reading: Psalm 23