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Through the Valley
January 12, 2024, 5:00 PM
Greetings in Christ!
 
Shortly after Christmas, my family and I went up to Louisville for the afternoon.
We went there to see an attraction called "Lights Under Louisville" at Louisville's Mega Cavern. It was a really nice attraction!
I've lived my entire life in Kentucky, but I was totally unaware that Louisville had such a thing.
There, in the heart of the city, are a huge network of caverns created by a massive limestone quarry that saw miners blasting out a rock for over 40 years during the middle of the 20th century. It was acquired in 1989 by private investors who saw the potential to develop a portion of the cavern into a high security commercial storage facility.
Each year at Christmas, the Mega Cavern is transformed into an underground holiday light spectacular for visitors to drive through and see themed displays, holiday music, and more than 6 million points of light. It is the largest underground light display in the world.
 
As we traveled through the Mega Cavern, I thought about how difficult it would be traveling through it without any light - and how thankful I was we didn’t have to!
During our journeys through our earthly lives, the process of dying can be a lot like a tunnel. There may be light on the other side, but as we travel through it, it is very dark and scary.
If you have ever been lost in the dark, you know it can be a pretty helpless feeling!
Psalm 23:4 calls it..."the valley of the shadow of death."

Oh, what a terrible place that valley is. It is DARK, SCARRY, and DANGEROUS. It takes LIFE away!

The bad news is that we are ALL probably going to have to walk through it (unless Jesus returns before we physically die).

Hebrews 9:27 tells us, “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.”

 

There is good news, though, in that we don’t have to walk it alone.

The Shepherd is there to help us.

Listen to the complete passage of Psalm 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."

 
I read from the 23rd Psalm at the funeral of FCC member Dorothy Merkel this week. 
There is no doubt it is the most widely-read passage of scripture at the funeral service of a Christian.
It is such a source of comfort!

The darkness may sometimes be so dense that it is hard to see, but He’s there!

We may not always FEEL like He’s there, but He’s there!

We walk by FAITH and NOT by SIGHT or FEELINGS.

Jesus tells us that He is there!

He said, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” (Hebrews 13:5)

He cannot and will not break His word. He will not leave us, His children, alone!

 

I think we all prefer the mountain tops over the valleys.

The truth is, however, we spend way more time in the valleys during this life.

It is comforting to know that we are not alone in the valley.

In fact, I'd rather be in the valley with the Lord than on the mountain top without Him!

 

There is a history section on the Louisville Mega Cavern website. At the end of the article, it mentions that the cavern was being prepped to be used during the days of the Cold War and specifically the Cuban Missile Crisis. Government officials were planning to house 50,000 people in the cavern in the case of a nuclear attack.

It turns out that the cavern is a natural bomb shelter. Co-owner Jim Lowry is quoted saying, "Geologists say that this is the safest place in Kentucky."

 

The valley of the shadow of death is a place we try to avoid.

But with our Shepherd here with us, it is the "safest" place to be.

Jesus will lead us through the valley and to life eternal on the other side.

I pray you know the Good Shepherd today!

 

As we entered into the New Year, we began a new series of messages from the Old Testament book of Haggai. We will continue in the series this coming Sunday (01.14.24) with a message called, "Don't Give Up!"

I hope and pray you will join us at First Christian this Sunday - Bible School at 9:30 am and Worship at 10:30 am.

 

God Bless,

Greg H