This weekend we had the opportunity to meet a Mexican pastor from Mazetlan, Mexico. We had the privilege to hear him speak at a home fellowship on Friday night and then again in church on Sunday. We were immediately charmed by his warm personality and fabulous sense of humor! Both times we heard him speak were not only enjoyable, but encouraging, challenging, and inspiring.
One of the passages that he referenced in yesterday's sermon was Psalm 84:6.
As I listened to the things he said, and read the surrounding verses, I was struck by the relevance of this passage. The Holy Spirit has continued to minister to me and teach me through it. I share it with you here.
Psalm 84:5-7 (NASB)
5 How blessed is the man whose strength is in You,
In whose heart are the highways {to Zion!}
6 Passing through the valley of Baca they make it a spring;
The early rain also covers it with blessings.
7 They go from strength to strength,
{Every one of them} appears before God in Zion.
We are blessed when the Lord is our strength and the highways to Zion are in our hearts. Our eye is on the kingdom of heaven. We're "walkin' on Heaven's road." We're trusting in the Lord, following Him as He leads, longing for the day that we'll see Jesus face to face. At times we enjoy the journey. After all, there's "no better place on earth than the road that leads to heaven," but sometimes we pass through the valley of Baca, the valley of weeping.
The valley of weeping is unavoidable. People are hurting everywhere, sin permeates our world and as a result there is weeping. Sometimes we are the ones who are weeping, sometimes others around us are weeping, but the path to heaven will take us right through the valley of weeping, so what are we to do?
"Passing through the valley of Baca they make it a spring." Who makes it a spring? Those whose strength is the Lord, those who have the road to Zion in their hearts.
When I think of a spring, I think of a peaceful place, a place of refreshing and those whose strength is the Lord are able to pass through the valley of weeping and make it a spring. They come into a place of despair and make it a place of encouragement. How do they do this?
"...the early rain covers it with blessings."(verse 6) As I studied, I learned that the people of Israel would walk through the desert and dig numerous pits in the sand, so that when the rain came, there would be pools everywhere and travelers would have water to drink as they passed through. As I apply this to my life, I come to understand that as I pass through the valley of weeping, I have a responsibility. First of all, I am not to sit down and wallow in the valley, I must continue "passing through," but secondly, while passing through, I can make the valley of weeping a place of encouragement by sharing the "Living Water" (John 4) with those who are there weeping. I'll tell you honestly that I am often consumed in my own weeping to be an encouragment to those around. I'd love to be able to walk into a valley of weeping and make it a refreshing place! But how?
There are ways that we can dig pits in the sand which can be filled by the Father with rain and there will be blessing in the place of weeping. We can become a partner to the Father. We can listen, we can pray, we can speak the truth in love, with boldness, we can weep with those who are weeping, we can share the secret of the peace that passes all understanding which guards our hearts and souls in Christ Jesus, we can empty ourselves of our own pain and hurt and selfishness, so that we may be vessels that can be poured out to be a blessing to others. Matthew 5:4 says, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted." Those who mourn over sin, in their own lives, in the lives of others, in this nation, will be comforted!
2 Corinthians 1:3-6 says, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ." We who have been comforted with the comfort of Christ can comfort others as we are passing through the valley of Baca. Not only are we able to do it, but we must. And what if you're the one who is weeping?
Receive God's grace and blessings in your own pit. Drink from the fountain. Accept the comfort that is offered by the "Father of all mercies and the God of all comfort." Carve out a pit of time to be washed in the water of the Word. Pray for God's grace and blessing, wait on Him, and be renewed by the spring rain as it comes from the Father.
Finally, Psalm 84:7 says, "They go from strength to strength, Every one of them appears before God in Zion." There will be valleys, there will be times of weeping, times of trial and tribulation, but there are also times when we are strengthened, and that strength sustains us through the valley until we reach the strength on the other side. In Isaiah 41:10, God says, "'Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.'" Time in the Word, really digging in, studying it for yourself, and time in prayer, waiting on the Lord, resting in His goodness, His faithfulness, these are times where we are strengthened. Let's not get so busy that we become weak. When we're not in the valley, we need to be conditioning for the next one. Allow the Lord to strengthen you.
Then, we'll see Jesus! We will "appear before God in Zion" (verse 7). We're on the King's highway and we will reach heaven. We will pass through the valley, swinging as it were on a vine, from strength to strength, until we make it HOME. The hope of heaven. The thought of hearing our Father say, "Well done!" That's what sustains us. We run the race with endurance, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of faith.(Hebrews 12:1 & 2)
I pray these thoughts bless you. I find myself struggling to do justice to them. Be encouraged, the next time you find yourself passing through the valley, to dig a pit. God will be faithful to fill it!
"So let us know, let us press on to know the LORD.
His going forth is as certain as the dawn;
And He will come to us like the rain,
Like the spring rain watering the earth." Hosea 6:3 | 
