The Valley Is A Temporary Place

THE VALLEY IS A TEMPORARY PLACE

Psalms 23:1-6

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR

A man was thrown out of the breakroom, yesterday, at Walmart. They asked him what he was doing there. He told them he was on a break. They said, “But you don’t work here.” He said, “Notice: I just finished using self-check-out, so clearly I do.”

B. TEXT

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 4 Yea, though I walk THROUGH the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Ps. 23:1-6

C. IDEA & TITLE

1. The valleys of life are not dead-end streets, because God provides a way for us to get through.

2. Title: “The Valley is a Temporary Place.”

I. THE NATURE OF VALLEYS

A. WHAT’S A VALLEY LIKE?

1. There is one thing that we all can be sure of: God is always at work. It’s hard to remember that when you face the trials and tribulations, NOT knowing what to do. But God always knows what to do.

2. We all go through valley experiences, and when we do, we wonder why God is allowing us to go through them. In Psalm 23, David speaks of a deep, dark valley where there seemed to be no ray of light and he felt like he wasn’t going to make it.

3. But valleys are not dead-end streets and the disappointments, frustrations, discouragements, and dilemmas we experience there shouldn’t be classified as an end. David even refers to them as a “shadow.”

B. OUR VALLEY IS THE ONLY ROUTE TO OUR PROMISE LAND; there’s no alternate route.

1. When the Egyptians chased the Israelites to the Red Sea there was no way for them to go around it, but God made a way for them to cross. God will always make a way.

2. Your valley may be the opposite of what you expected God to do. We often tell the Lord exactly how we want Him to help us and ignore the fact that He knows just what to do. This leads us to question God’s timing and solutions.

3. I’m guilty of it myself. I’ve moaned the words, “Lord why won’t you help me?” It’s so easy to lose our trust and give way to the fear.

4. David, the writer of Psalm 23, takes a possessive view of God; “The Lord is MY Shepherd!” We should ALL feel this way. David knew firsthand the duty of a shepherd; he faced the lion and the bear to protect his sheep. And he knew that God, as his shepherd, would stand between David and his danger. Jesus did the same for us too!

II. CONTRAST: VALLEYS & MOUNTAINS

A. YOUR “VALLEY” IS A ROAD, NOT A DWELLING

1. Where do you do most of YOUR living? Do you live on a mountain or in a valley? (I’m speaking metaphorically.) David mentioned “the valley of the shadow of death” he was actually referring to a physical location. That’s another name for the road between Jerusalem and Jericho where the Good Samaritan helped the man along the way. Shepherds had to take their flocks on it to get to the country fields.

2. It was a dangerous road because thieves & robbers would hide in the caves or ravines to steal sheep or waylay travelers. Normal people didn’t LIVE on this road; it was a traveling route. So my question is, where do YOU do most of your living? The mountaintop or the valley?

B. PURPOSE OF MOUNTAINS & VALLEYS

1. Mountaintop-experiences are places of revelation and awe, where we receive insight or inspiration from God. The mountaintop is where we hear a “Rhema Word,” and catch a vision of the promised land. It’s a place where we can feel God’s presence and hear God’s voice -- but the valley is quite different.

2. THE VALLEY IS WHERE WE DO OUR STRUGGLING. The average Christian experiences both the mountain-top and the valley, but most of life is lived in the valley. The valley is where life’s challenges are;

a. where battles are fought

b. where feelings are hurt and attitudes are developed.

c. where we struggle everyday with fears and hopes and painful circumstances.

3. The valley is inevitable. THE MOUNTAINTOP IS WHERE WE COME TO MEET GOD; BUT THE VALLEY IS WHERE GOD COMES TO MEET US!