THE JOURNEY

"Blessed are they whose strength is in You, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baka, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools. They go from strength to strength, until each appears before God in Zion." Psalm 84:5-7

How is your journey? Has it been one of safe, even places to walk or has it been a valley of tears? Or has it been a little, or a lot, of both? Thinking of the Israelites here, it seems like they have both. The Valley of Baca is a dry place. We know from the Old Testament that the Israelites had great times when they were whole-heartedly following the Lord but had a lot of bad times when they turned from Him to their own ways. Can the same be said of us?

God uses both the good, mountain-top, times and the valley times of our lives, to instruct and sometimes chasten us. When we get off-track, He steers us back onto the right course. We know the Israelites had numerous times of being off-track and paid some high prices for their disobedience. Their stubbornness and rebellion are written for our instruction, to not go the same way they did. "All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness." (2Tim. 3:16).

In this scripture, God is bringing His people back to their homeland. They are going on pilgrimage to Zion. His reference to the Valley of Baka demonstrates their separation and their resulting tears from that separation, but as they journey to Zion, their tears flood the valley, and the autumn rains also flood the valley, creating pools. The valley is no longer dry and desolate because God has brought His people through with joy in their hearts and strength for the journey.

He does the same for us. In those tough times when we are dry and desolate from events in our lives, He gives us strength to go on and even though we have tears, joy comes with the morning. "Satisfy us in the morning with Your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days." (Psa. 90:14). Through all the steps of our journey, God is faithful and is right beside us. He never leaves us nor deserts us, in the good times and the bad. Take comfort in that.

Each step is a journey in itself, for we have to trust our whole being entirely to His hands. Each step is part of where we have been and where we are going, but each step is a learning time.

So much is involved in that one step of faith. It's the sum total of all that we have been through and all that is to come.

Each step builds upon another, so that it is only in looking back that we see the path we have made and the journey it has been.