All through the ages the psalms of David have been attributed to different things. In some quarters it is regarded as a book of songs,to others it is a book of spiritual warfare. Even other schools of thought see it as a collection of poetic chronicles about the lifestyle of a grass-to-grace believer.
Regardless of these varied theological definitions one thing that stands out is: David, though He loved God, never had a easy run though life!
"Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death..." is a sombre and scary place to be as written in Psalm 23. It is here in that valley that Dave Branon, in his new book, bravely takes readers through the sour moments in the 'ditch and the life-changing walk' through unto healing in Beyond the Valley which his family had to endure after suffering a terrible tragedy.
In Beyond the Valley some salient truths about coping with grief and despondency from a Christian perspective were shared in all nine chapters. Looking beyond the valley in the wake of a tragedy makes no sense to the victim, just as circumnavigating through the Atlantic Ocean without a compass or any instrument does. At such state, the victims would wish they had rather drowned alive and brought closure to the whole saga.
Yet in Beyond the Valley Dave warns against "trying to question or figure out the Sovereignty of God in the face of all economic hardship, poverty, disasters, and daily questions, which is like a chicken arguing with man's choice for poultry as "meat." This only breeds a disenchantment with God since victims of such situations are unable to rationalise God's thought processes, thus they'd put off believing in Him altogether. Rather, as believers we'd do well to learn to live a day at a time, which is a good antidote against a shattered-yet-planned-future.
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