I remember when my brother Francis and I were just little boys living on our farm with my grandparents’ and uncles’ farms adjoining ours. We’d cross a section of open land in the evenings to get to another farm where we picked up milk for our family and brought it home, often in the dark. One night a hoot owl suddenly flew out of a bush and let out a loud screech. We ran for our lives! And Francis screamed, “Oh, Lord! Save me from the devil!”
It’s amazing how in times of utter terror we (and unbelievers, too!) involuntarily cry out to the only One who truly saves. The fact is that many of our terrifying experiences are real; they’re not just the temporary scare from an animal crossing our path. Life brings deep valleys to us, never at a time when we expect them.
Not only is our Shepherd with us in the valleys, but also those valleys will one day be lifted up. The rough places of our life will be made smooth. It will all make sense to us eventually. In fact, it makes some sense to us now, because our Jesus is sovereign.