“GREEN PASTURES AND DEATH VALLEY”
“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside still waters, and refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths 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 overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
– Psalm 23
Happy Thanksgiving… that long-standing federal holy-day with religious overtones that people of many faiths celebrate along with those who say they have no faith at all. So… I will keep the mantra alive… faith matters… because we all believe in something. Yet, it’s that time of the year… so enter with appreciation and also some caution. Why? Well… priests, pastors, rabbis and even some therapist call the days ahead from Thanksgiving to Christmas and into the new year ‘death valley’… not because we are old and dying… but because this holy-day season stirs up in us great memories and moments as well as things and even people we’d like to forget about.
I’m one of those preacher types who believes King David wrote these words we now call Psalm 23 when he was an old man… not the young shepherd boy we were introduced to in Sunday School back in the day. King David was getting ready to die… looking back on his life… admitting his brokenness and recognizing his number of living days remaining were slowly running out. He also gave God credit for the blessings he received and placed all his hope on God’s mercy, love, and grace. Old kings will do that. Young shepherd boys do not.
Back in the 20th century when I served Grace Church in New Orleans … I heard a colleague tell the congregation… “everything that has happened to you so far in your life has happened to prepare you for all that is to come.” The Rev. Dr. Michael Leppich shared those words on his last Sunday as the ‘interim pastor’ of that congregation helping them get ready to welcome me as their next pastor. And as I was sitting somewhat anonymously in the back right pew… (which I now own and sits on my front porch) … getting ready to start the following Sunday… he also pointed out that I was present… prompting everyone in church that day turn to look my way over their shoulders … and that’s when those same words resonated with me in a very personal way… and way better than all the TV preachers who insist “God has a plan for my life…” but never get around to telling anyone what that plan is. (NOTE: see Deuteronomy 6:4ff and Leviticus 19:18 for details).
So… this time of the year we are reminded of the people and experiences which have shaped our lives. Some people will be missing around the Thanksgiving table and still there may be a new face or two… Looking back is always a good thing, then, as knowing where we’ve come from and how life has been does provide a foretaste of what lies before us… offering us a means to handle each moment as it unfolds and as this all comes into focus… we’re given a portrait of the difficult work we share in the self-defining of our lives. Or as some smart folks have stated… ‘history often repeats itself… especially when we don’t pay attention to that history!’
I like to look back from time to time… and as I do… I’m reminded of the bumps, hurdles and the few deep holes I’ve encountered but also gives me a chance to rejoice in the overflowing cup of goodness I’ve been involved in… only prodding me to do more of the same. So be good to yourself in the coming weeks. Life teaches. God is faithful.
The Rev. Dr. Brian K. Gigee is a long-time resident of Pearland, having pastored four churches over the last four decades in Texas and Louisiana. Read more following Brian’s blog ‘murmurings’ at https://briangigee.wordpress.com/. Send comments and/or questions to godworks247365@gmail.com.
