A Precious Preposition: "With"

This evening as sleep eluded me for a while, my hands were folded in the darkness--

a silent prayer to the God Who hears prayers of the heart in the dark

when others are sleeping.

I was thinking about those who are walking through the valley of the shadow,

and I was remembering what Psalm 23 says about it.

It says, "Yes, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me."

With me.

With.

Beside.

Not alone.

Together.

His hand holding mine.

His arms around me.

His presence real.

It means that I do not walk through any valley, any shadow, any death--alone.

And neither do you.

 Always, the Shepherd is there with me.

With you.

In the valley.

Through the shadows.

In death.

Always.

"Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world."

 

And so now I have a new favorite word as I look toward the shadows in the future. 

It is simply "with."

A preposition sent from heaven to our valleys of shadows.

 I can go anywhere, even into the valley of the shadow of death, without fear,

because He is with me.