Valleys

Pastor Debra Isenbletter

Christian Assembly, Springfield, Missouri

Valley of Weeping (Ps. 84:5-7): “Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee, in whose heart are the ways of them or (whose heart is set on a pilgrimage). Who passing through the Valley of Baca (weeping) make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools.” How wonderful and instructive are these verses concerning the one who passes through the valley of weeping.

“Baca” means “weeping” and yes, there will be times of weeping, times of sorrow. We all at one time or another go through this valley, but notice that we only pass through, we don’t stay there and we always find grace there! There is a wonderful promise of provision given to the one passing through this valley seen in the description of this man, the heart of this man and the refreshing for this man. The provision begins with how this man is described: “Blessed is the man” – He is a blessed man and where is the blessing seen? It is seen in statement “whose strength is in thee.” This is a fundamental truth that we each need to lay hold of – that we have no strength in ourselves! This is a hard place to come to, a humbling place to come to, but it is this realization that takes away our helplessness and gives us an endless supply of strength found in the Lord. To be able to say when we feel the weakest and most vulnerable that my “strength is in thee” is the first step of victory in this valley.

What about the heart attitude of the one who is passing through this valley? The latter part of V. 5 says, “in whose heart are the ways of them” or “in whose heart are the ways.” The Amplified Bible translates this, “whose heart is set on a pilgrimage.” The “ways” are described as a pilgrimage and journey. Our heart attitude affects how we perceive things around us. Is our heart set in the way or the path the Lord has put our feet upon? Is our heart set on a pilgrimage? Do we realize every day that wherever we are and whatever the circumstance that we are only passing through? So we realize that this is a journey that we each must make, that sometimes we can’t avoid the painful experiences or the heartbreaks. It’s a little like seeing the cup as half empty or half full. The attitude of our heart makes all the difference, we can choose to make this valley something wonderful or we can choose to make it something terrible.

What is the provision in this valley, beyond the strength the Lord provides? It is seen in what we do while in the valley, the provision flows from the heart attitude, from the knowledge that this is a journey, we must make, it is a journey we can’t avoid and that the Lord will give us strength and grace as we need it. So while we go through this valley what can we do? We can “make it a well.” I was struck by the statement “make it a well.” We can make this valley experience into a well, a place where we are refreshed and others are refreshed. We can look for the blessings along the way or look for ways to be a blessing to others. It is as though all the tears shed, all weeping in this valley become a well that can comfort and refresh. Not only can we make it a well by the Lord sends times of refreshing. He sends “the rain” that “filleth the pool.” We can take that rain the Lord provides, lay hold of those moments of refreshing and store them up, let the pools fill up, so that we are sustained and strengthened. We can overcome in this valley and not be overcome.