Life in the Valley

I think many of us spend some time in the valley.

We’ve been to the mountaintop. We’ve stood with our arms outstretched, felt the wind blowing against our faces, the clouds racing overhead. We have felt alive as we looked to the valley below. We stood tall on the mountain sensing in the depths that we were a little closer to heaven. And for a time, we were thrilled by the anticipation of what is just beyond.

But we live in the valley more than we like to admit. We feel vulnerable and powerless to forces around us. We aren't in Eden anymore and we must deal with----

Disease

Finances

Governments

Injustice

Aging

Lies

Death

We may have fertile places in our valley, but they require tending. Weeds pop up and demand our attention. Often, we can feel like we spend so much time fussing with our plot that we never get to cultivate anything new. Sometimes the whole thing gets away from us. We give up on the hope of a harvest and sit in the shadows of our valley.

But there is help, if you look for it.

I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from?  

My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.

Look up.

Life in the valley is hard.

Don’t look down. Set your "face like flint" toward reaching that ridgeline once again. Look up to the One who never sleeps, who shades you.

So much of the time, you and I live in blinding ignorance of the battle that is being waged for our hearts.

He heals blindness.

The God of the mountain is the God of the valley. 

He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber; 
 

indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

The LORD watches over you—the LORD is your shade at your right hand; 
 

the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.

The LORD will keep you from all harm— 
   

he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going

both now and forevermore.

If you look to Him, you’ll see He’s watching over you.

I pray the truth of Psalm 121 pierces to you the bone so that you know that you know that you are covered under the Mighty Wings--- the Shadow of the Almighty.

Come and and go. Come and go. Then sit in the shade…and look up.

He's watching over His "word to perform it."

Scripture: Psalm 121 (NIV)
                 Jeremiah 1:12