Valleys
Psalm 84:6
Life is not easy because life is not without its valleys. Wouldn’t it be great if we never went through valleys in our Christian experience?
However, this is not promised anywhere in the Bible. Valleys are a part of life that we are going to have to learn to deal with.
I. "The Valley of Baca..." - DIFFICULTY ENCOUNTERED
What is a "valley"? Is it not a low place? Valleys are a depression of the earth’s surface usually between ranges of hills or mountains. Valleys are deep places, fixed between two mountains. Valleys are dark places. Valleys are discouraging places.
The word "Baca" is a word that means "weeping" or "sorrow" or "tears." The valley of Baca or valley of weeping is a description of valleys that God’s followers pass through on their life journey, as they go towards Zion.
Baca was a valley in some part of Palestine though we are not sure of where it was; however, it refers to the valleys through which pilgrims had to pass on their way to the sanctuary of Jehovah on Zion. I believe it describes any place of suffering or any place of sorrow that you and I may have to face on her way home to heaven.
Don’t be Discouraged by your Difficulty
A. Valleys are Inevitable
I don’t mean to add to your sorrow, but there have been and will be more valleys of "Baca" for all of us. There have been times of sorrow and weeping. And there will be other times of sorrow and weeping ahead for us. The end of one valley is usually only the beginning of another valley.
The preacher Philip Brooks said, "In every pew there sits a person with a broken heart." Job said, "Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble."
1. Valley of
"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of ." This was a spiritual analogy used to describe the experience of a child of God.
2. Valley of disease (sickness).
3. Valley of divorce
More than 1,000 times a day in America some judge’s gavel falls and with two words, "Divorce granted," somebody’s love story comes to an end.
4. Valley of dismissal (loss of job, livelihood).
If you listen to some today you would think if you love God, trust Jesus, read your Bible, and live in obedience you’ll always be happy, prosperous, and successful. You will be healthy; you’re wife will be beautiful; your children will be obedient; your house will be big; your car fast; and your money secure. That is a lie! No one is exempt. No one escapes a tour of the valley.
John 16:33 says "In this world ye shall have tribulation" Every major Bible character underwent times of pain, loss, and disappointment - even despondency. We should not expect to live life without spending some time in the valley. Christians are to expect difficulty, and look to learn from it (1 Peter 1: 6-7). Faith is not built on the mountain top.
B. Valleys are Impartial
Matthew 4:45 “..for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." Often people blame God for bad things that happen in their lives. We need to consider that events both good and bad happen in every life. Instead of asking "Why Me?" we should ask "Why Not Me?"
C. Valleys are Inexplicable
This is what makes our time in our valleys so difficult and dark- we don’t understand them. We can’t explain them. If we understood why we had to go through the valley it would be easier to take. There is a great mystery to the things of God.
II. "Who Passing through..." DESTINATION EXPECTED
Some of us get stuck in our valley, and we have a tendency to set up camp there and stay awhile.
Don’t be Distracted from your Destination
Don’t forget where you are going! We are passing through. The psalmist knew his destination - he knew where he was going. At that moment he might have been a valley, but one day he would be walking out of that valley.
I am afraid we have gotten our eyes off our destination. Years ago the old saints of God use to sing, “I am bound for the promise land,” “When we all get to heaven,” “When the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there,” and “Won’t it be wonderful there." We sang about the "Sweet bye and bye" because we knew where our destination was - we were passing through to a city where sin, sickness, and sorrow would be no more.
We have a generation of people today who have pitched their tents in this world, and they think they are here for the duration. Listen, we are all just passing through this life.
Folks, we need to keep our minds on our destination. I’ll tell you why. If you know your destination, it will help you to be able to endure your tribulation.
Please forward all correspondence: "I’m just a passin’ through.".
III. "Make it a well..." DUTY EXPLAINED
Allow me to give you some timely spiritual counsel when you find yourself passing through your valley. Here is what happens with far too many. People find themselves in a temporary valley, and they give up and drop out of church, but just until things get better.
* Will that work on your secular job? Call in, "I’m down. When I’m better I will come in." I’m sure your boss would say, "God bless you. We will call the prayer chain. We love you."
* Will that work in a family? "I just don’t feel like taking care of the baby. Maybe next month I’ll feel like it."
Here’s the counsel - when I don’t know what to do, then the best thing for me is to keep doing what I know to do. I am going to stay in church, pray, tithe, stay connected with my Christian friends, until I get out of this valley.
Don’t be Delinquent in your Duty
When the person in Psalm 84 found himself in a valley of sorrow he did something unusual - he dug a well! Water was a scarce and precious commodity to the pilgrims of Bible days. Wells were one of the ways to survive the dry and hot climate. Wells were dug by hand. Wells were hard work. Wells were the work of the patriarchs.
Blessed people go beyond the surface experience and tap into the subterranean springs.
- Abraham dug wells.
- Isaac dug wells
- Jacob dug a well.
Wells are for Others.
Jacob dug a well that survived hundreds of years
and refreshed Jesus (John 4). A Samaritan woman comes one day finds Jesus, the living water at this well that Jacob had dug.
Many are the valleys of the people of God; few are the wells! Don’t waste your valley. Dig out a blessing in the place of barrenness.
We are drinking from the wells the saints of God dug before us. Paul dugs some wells in his valleys. From his valleys came his Prison epistles: Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon.
John Bunyan (1628-1688) was arrested at age 32 for conducting religious meeting without permission of the state church. For 12 years he stayed in jail, but there he dug some wells. There in the Bedford jail he wrote 9 books, including Pilgrim’s Progress. By the end of his life he had published 60 books before dying at age 60.
What’s important is not what you go through, but what you leave behind.
I read recently about a man named Worral. He had been stricken with rheumatoid arthritis at age 15. By middle age he was totally paralyzed except for 1 finger. He could barely speak and was also totally blind; however, he had a string tied to that one mobile finger that could turn on a tape recorder. By that means he wrote for national magazines, authored books and led a happy and influential life from his bed. It all started because after initial prayers brought no healing, he accepted his lot graciously and said, "Well Lord! If this is the size plot in life you’ve staked out for me, let’s you and me together show the world what we can grow on it."
Conclusion:
Determine to leave a well in the valley for others.
Why the valleys?
1. For the glory of God
2. For the growth of the saint
3. For the good of others
