The Hope of Psalm 23 in a Hopeless COVID World
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.
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,
they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.
When I think of the state of people, especially those working in healthcare, the word that comes to mind is weary. We are a weary people. We are weary of grief. We are weary of the heightened emotions that swirl like a tornado on social media. We are weary of politics and blame games. And as healthcare workers, we are bone weary from being overworked and underappreciated. Not that we went into our various professions for recognition (though perhaps some of us did) but some recognition of the impossible situations we find ourselves working in would really go a long way.
This mid-pandemic world seems far more hopeless than it has for a while. With every variant, our hope for normalcy cracks like glass on the verge of shattering. Can I endure another wave? Can I emotionally survive this one? Will “normal” even be possible in the near future?
If anything, this pandemic has proven to us how empty some of our idols really are. Money seems to have lost its luster. That TWENTY-THOUSAND-dollar sign-on bonus is no longer enough to work the bedside conditions that we have worked so hard to escape. Seniority no longer carries the weight it once did. For some, the identity of the nurse has been stripped away, leaving them feeling lost and abandoned. Even our self-sufficient mantra of “keep calm and carry on” feels like the cry of a death knoll.
So, we look out on this increasingly bleak world and long for a “good life.” Our idols have been revealed to be hollow, out hopes have been dashed, our hearts wearied and broken to the point of trauma. That “good life,” though seemingly far more unattainable, is now infinitely more appealing than you can ever remember.
And so, wearied and broken, we come to one of the most widely memorized passages in scripture. How timely are the psalmists’ words for today!
“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.”
You know that innate insatiable craving to “escape it all?” That unquenchable urge to “just get away” to breathe? Yeah, me too, but let me tell you something profound. Jesus offers you just that. With Him not only will you lack NOTHING, but He will bring your soul the rest that you are desperate for. You know that “good life” that seems impossible in this COVID world? Yes, well, Jesus offers it to you, though it might not look quite like how you would expect it to on this side of eternity. One day, if we love and follow Jesus, He will bring us into the fullness of His promise- a life of unending peace, hope, joy and satisfaction, all untainted by sin and brokenness.
Today might not be THAT day, but let me tell you what day it is. Today He will restore your soul. Today He will give your heart rest. Today He will lead you to supernatural peace. Today you will lack nothing. Today you are offered protection, direction, and companionship with Jesus, the Good Shepherd.
Today, as you gear up to walk through the valley of the shadow of death, fear not, because Jesus, your Shepherd is with you. He will guide you and keep you on the path of righteousness that leads to life and hope. He will not only protect you from your enemies, but mark you as His own and bless you in their presence. He will bring you to the “good life” that your heart is desperate for.
So dear friends in Christ, take heart! Jesus has overcome this world and He is here with you, offering all you need to not only survive this pandemic, but thrive in a hopeless and weary world.
Written by Sara Danielle Hill, Author of Hope in the Darkness and founder of Undercurrents