The Shepherd in the Valley: For the Week You Did Not Choose

The Shepherd in the Valley: For the Week You Did Not Choose Preview · Opening of the manuscript The hospital hallway still has last month's we-already-prayed-for-them card. Three chairs around this table already know which household walked into a week nobody chose, and which chair still treats leftover indoor courage as the care they already gave. One of those chairs quoted Psalm 23 in the foyer and then kept the meeting on time. Nobody occupied the valley in air a second chair could still hear.

A man two chairs down signed the last vote that printed we will walk with them. He also signed the first one that left a named grief in a smaller office.

This is a sermon about the week you did not choose. If you preach Psalm 23 as a map of anyone's private fear, you will lie. If you preach it as a pastoral pep talk that never lets a valley occupy the same air the quieter chairs can hear, you will lie in a different direction. Preach it as shepherd poetry that names a God who stays present in the valley, and you give this church a courage that does not wait for the valley to empty.

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Hear Psalm 23, from the World English Bible: "Yahweh is my shepherd; I shall lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He guides me in the 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 runs over. Surely goodness and loving kindness shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in Yahweh’s house forever." (Psalm 23:1-6, WEB) This is shepherd poetry. It is not a diagram of your unfinished grief. Application comes after that fact, from the God who is present in the valley.