Thoughts for another day

August 12, 2010

Today's verse: Ps. 23:4. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. (KJV)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

Zarif was now bent and full of age, he could hardly see anything beyond a couple of feet, but he was otherwise healthy and could speak well. Living in a village in eastern Iran, he thought of the good old days and loved to talk about them. His faith in Jesus was steadfast and he always said it was Jesus who gave him the strength, protection and courage to live, without which he would be dead long ago, either killed by the dacoits roaming the rural terrain then or zealous muslims who killed Christians at the drop of a hat. Yet, he had survived and his family today was more than a hundred persons strong, him being the eldest and great grandfather to the younger brood of fine girls and boys. He was a father figure to the muslims in his village and they looked up to him for everything, making him arbitrator in many cases and what he said, was a rule – nobody dared go against it. Because of him, many believed in Jesus though not overtly.

He loves to talk about God and if you listen, he’d have one thing to say: Trust Jesus! Ps 23 is his favorite prayer. He needed it desperately, particularly our Scripture today, as he understood what David meant well - to go to the closest town, he had to pass dangerous roads infested with dacoits. Even if they banded together, the marauders with their weapons would come and slay them and rob their goods and money. But they had to go to buy their necessities and each time they left home they didn’t know whether they’d return. He would gently pray this psalm meaning every word he said. Though his friends were slain, some before his own eyes, he always escaped and the best part was, he was never robbed. Today, his village was at the frontier of trade and the dacoits had vanished, yet he recited the psalm like he did so many years ago, looking up to heaven with tears in his eyes at the graciousness of God and the love of Jesus. Oh, he says, even if I walk in the midst of the dreaded dacoits, I’ll not be harmed for my God, the Living God is there with His crook and His staff. Yes, Jesus who has rescued me so many times is there even today. Zarif is always with this psalm and with good reason too.

I too am enamored with our Scripture. Behold, how powerful is the Word that proceeds from God and how it hits my heart as I think: with the cloud of danger above me, I am yet safe for He my Lord and Master is there, smiling and waving me on and with Him around, I dare any danger to approach me and I ridicule ‘trouble and devastation’ for He with whom the Owner of Creation is, what shall he fear; of whom shall he be afraid?