Daily Encounter: A Week-day Devotional by a staff of ACTS International.

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you [God/Jesus] are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.... Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever."¹

Dr. David Sylvester tells how, "During World War II, a young Jewish man known as Solomon, his wife, and sons Jacob and David were subjected to the horrors of a Nazi concentration camp. Prisoners were forced to work torturous hours in the fields, or were burned to death in the ovens if found to be of little or no value as a worker. Little David had an injured leg, which required a brace rendering him unable to work in the fields. Upon his arrival from work, Solomon inquired of Jacob as to the whereabouts of his younger son, David, and the boys' mother.

"Jacob whimpered, 'The soldiers came to take David to the ovens, and Mother went with him so that he would not have to go alone.'"²

We have the promise of our Lord Jesus Christ that wherever we go or whatever we may experience—including the valley of death, he will go with us. The Psalmist said, 'Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you [God] are with me.' And Jesus himself promised that he would never ever leave or forsake us.³

And so we are graphically reminded again how Jesus, the eternal Son of God, came as a babe so that we would never have to face death alone. He loved us so much that he went alone in our place to die on that excruciatingly painful Roman cross to pay the penalty for all of our sins so that we could be freely forgiven by God, receive his gift of eternal life, and never ever have to face eternal death which is eternal separation from God, the author of all love and life.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, how can I ever thank You enough for your great love in giving Your Son, Jesus, to die in my place to pay the penalty for all my sins so that I can be freely forgiven and receive Your gift of eternal life? Help me to so live that my life will be a living sacrifice for You in gratitude for all that You have done for me. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus's name, amen."

Note: If you have never accepted God's gift of forgiveness and eternal life, for a prayer to help you to do this click on "God's Invitation" at http://tinyurl.com/6k49w.

1. Psalm 23:4, 6 (NIV).
2. Dr. David Sylvester, Denton, Texas.
3. Hebrews 13:5.

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