Even Through the Darkest Valley…

I remember several years ago now reading about a parakeet named Chippie. Chippie had problems! The problems began one day when his owner decided to clean his cage with a vacuum cleaner. She removed the attachment from the end of the hose and stuck it in the cage. As she did so, the phone rang, and she turned to pick it up. She’d barely said “hello” when “suuuorpp!” Chippie got sucked in.

The bird’s owner gasped, dropped the phone, turned off the vacuum cleaner, and opened the bag. Thankfully, Chippie was still alive, but stunned.

Since the bird was covered with dust, hair, and all the stuff you find in a dust bag, she grabbed him and raced to the bathroom, turned on the water, and held Chippie under the running water. Then when she realized that Chippie was soaking wet and shivering, she did what any compassionate bird owner would do . . . she reached for the hairdryer and blasted the pet with hot air. Poor Chippie never knew what hit him.

A few days after the trauma, a friend who had heard about the bird’s troubles called to see how he was recovering. “Well,” his owner replied, “Chippie doesn’t sing much anymore – he just sits and stares.”

Who can blame him?

I wonder if you have ever felt like that – sucked in, washed up, and blown over. If you have, you are not alone.

In Psalm 138, David prays, “Though I walk in the midst of trouble…” This is an echo of Psalm 23, “Even though I walk through the darkest valley…”

These Psalms from the heart of our Bible are a reminder that even the faithful will have to walk through the midst of trouble – even the faithful face trials and tribulations and have enemies. Even the faithful will have days when they feel sucked in, washed up, and blown over.

However, even in the midst of all of this, both Psalms also make some powerful affirmations of faith.

From Psalm 138: “Even though I walk through the midst of trouble, you preserve me. On the day that I called, you answered me. You stretch out your hand and your right hand delivers me.”

And of course from the 23rd Psalm, “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, you are with me. Your rod and Your staff they comfort me…”

My prayer for you today is that when you are in that dark place, that you would trust that God walks with you. If you call out to him, he will answer you and he will preserve you.

Let us pray: We pray today especially for those who feel as though they have been put through the wringer. Assure them of your presence with them, and put a new song in their hearts. Amen.