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Rods, Staves, and...


                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. (Psalm 23:4)
 
          I’ve read that a shepherd’s rod was used to beat off the enemies of the sheep, while the staff was used to guide the sheep, draw them near, or even pull them out of trouble. I think sometimes when we need comfort, it’s because we’re running away from a staff, convinced that it is a rod. I know the feeling well. 
         This morning on my walk, as I was trying to pray about this passage, but mostly repeating my father’s plea of “Help me! Help me!” I was reminded of the idea that while Israel’s Promised Land was physical real estate, ours is spiritual and involves first conquering the “land” of our own minds. 
         This means that my enemies, the ones one whom the Shepherd uses the rod, are within the borders of my mind more often than they are someone or something out there in “the real world.” The real enemies are bad ideas and lies that we believe. And one of the lies that we believe is that when God takes a rod to those enemies, that He is attacking us. If we can learn to differentiate between His rod and His staff, we’ll make progress. If we can learn to differentiate between what is us, and what is not us (only an idea, or even a lie) then we will be able to take comfort in both rod and staff. 
         I’m still praying that the Captain of the Lord’s Army will provide me with battle plans to take down a couple enemies that are rampaging through my mind. When someone in the household has dementia, in some ways the household has dementia. It’s critical that one of us maintains a rock-solid grip on reality, to find comfort in God’s rod and staff, and fine peace within what is truly true. That brings me back to my prayer request: Wisdom, Direction, and Attitude as I go to war with lies, deceptions, and a host of negative emotions: self-pity, fear, bitterness, helplessness, despair, guilt, shame… Yep, all the normal suspects.

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