Now to verse four: The story of my week!
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.
4. Though I walk in the valley overshadowed by death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me. Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me
This verse really hit home this week.
Sunday afternoon, as the light turned green, my wife and I -- the sweetest woman in the world -- crossed a six lane Parkway in the crosswalk. A car turned from the adjoining avenue into the Parkway. The driver failed to notice that there were pedestrians in the walkway and proceeded to hit us. We were both struck by the vehicle and thrown to the ground.
Suddenly, for the first time in my life I was hit by a car, found myself sitting in the middle of this six lane parkway, with cars waiting to come at me as soon as the light turned green. I was bruised, injured, and had no idea to what extent. All I knew is - I’m on the ground.
My wife was just lightly swiped, but also fell to the ground. My first concern was her, and her first concern was me. She looked at me, with the most loving eyes in the world, but worry written all over her face, and said to me, “just tell me, are you okay?” And I nodded to the sweet woman, who is the joy of my life, “I'm in pain, but I’ll be okay.” And I asked her the same and she said “my wrist hurts but otherwise I'm ok.” And she picked herself up off the ground.
The driver came out of his car. Perhaps it would have been nicer had he chose to find out if we were injured, and express some regret for striking us. Instead, his comments to the forming crowd of people around was, “hey it was an accident. I stopped, and didn’t run. I had a green light.” Very concerned about defending himself.
But to tell you the truth, he was irrelevant to me at that moment. I knew I was struck by God, and I knew that if God struck me down, God will lift me up.
An ambulance came and took us to the hospital, me on a stretcher, my wife sitting beside me. She is the most comforting person.
I was taken to the emergency room and x-rayed and checked over for about five hours. There were bruises on my left side, some soft tissue injuries to my leg, but thank God, no broken bones. After five hours I was discharged with a bandage here and there, but no worse for the wear. Bruises and pain but no breaks. My wife too, had a few little bruises, but thank God is getting better. Thank God she was hurt much less than I was.
A jolly, white haired doctor in the emergency room -- one of those angels God sends to deliver God’s messages to you -- told me, “you were just hit by a car and no broken bones? Would you buy a lottery ticket for me? You’re obviously a very lucky guy!”
The taxi driver who took us home told us that just before taking us, he drove home a woman whose husband was in a collision. His car was crashed into by a Jeep, and he had a crushed collarbone and broken ribs and was in critical condition being operated on. The Jamaican driver, who was another one of those angels God sends your way so that you know that He is talking to you, said to me, "Sir, if you are walking home on your own two feet you are truly blessed."
And I knew it to be true. I had my close brush with death, God forbid. When a car strikes you its different than falling down a flight of stairs. A car is a two-ton bullet. We read everyday in the papers about pedestrians hit by cars -- and losing their lives.
I went home that evening, knowing one thing:
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.
I walked through the valley of the shadow of death - but I was not alone. God was with me. Cars -- and their drivers -- do not give life, nor take life. Only God does. If it was meant to be "my time," then I would be taken by the Lord. And it were not my time, no one can take my life. “I will fear no evil for Thou art with me.”
“Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”
Even the afflictions that come to me, come from You, O Lord.
A shepherd uses his stick for two purposes -- or perhaps he carries two sticks -- a rod, with which to prod and sometimes strike the sheep into place and a staff upon which to support his weary body when he stops to rest.
God is both our rod and our staff. He supports us with his staff, and at times, for reasons sometimes known only to Himself -- He chastises us with His rod.
But "they comfort me,” I am comforted by both.
As long as I know the affliction comes from God, I know it is for my own good, necessary, and in my best interest. Much like a parent that gives a child a bitter medicine. It might taste bitter on the outside, but it surely is for the good on the inside.
Laying on the ground, my eyes saw three lanes of cars facing me on a busy Sunday afternoon, waiting for the light to turn green almost ready to come at me. But I was not afraid.
I knew that God who struck me down, will surely lift me up again. I knew if I was just smitten by His ROD -- His STAFF will not be far behind.
I knew that the God who hurts, is also the God who heals. I was in His hands. And I was comforted. I felt a wave of comfort pass over me like never before. I was being touched by the Lord.
I am recuperating now, hopefully going to get better day by day. But I feel closer to God than ever. Praise the Lord whom I love with every fiber of my being.
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