Verse: Psalm 84:5-7
Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.
6 As they pass through the Valley of Baka,
they make it a place of springs;
the autumn rains also cover it with pools.
7 They go from strength to strength,
till each appears before God in Zion.
Devotion
The Valley of Baka means the Valley of Tears or Weeping. What the author was referring to was the pilgrimage to Jerusalem that the Israelites would make. On the way they would walk through several desert valleys. In order to have water they would dig pits in the ground that would fill with rain water so they could drink. And they would leave these pits for others who would come after them on the journey. “As they pass through the Valley of Baka they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools.” So they would travel, going from pool to pool, “strength to strength,” until they appeared before God at their destination in Jerusalem.
Are you walking through a valley of weeping in your life right now? Are you spiritually thirsty, dry, and worn out? Has the journey of life taken it out of you? Psalm 84 has some encouragement for you this morning.
First, others have gone before you in this valley. It’s so easy to believe the lie that what we are experiencing is somehow unique. But it’s not. Others have wept. Others have struggled. Others have suffered. And if we are willing to be vulnerable and seek out other mature believers who have walked the valley before, they can lead us to the pools that will eventually revive our souls. You are not alone in the valley of weeping.
Second, remember you are not called to do this in your own strength. “Blessed are those who strength is in you.” We are blessed when we choose to not walk through the valley with our own strength, but instead choose to lean into God. When we walk through the “darkest valley” we do not need to fear because God is “with us” and he comforts us (Psalm 23). You are not alone in the valley of weeping.
Third, as you pass through you will “make it a place of springs” for others. Every time you stop and dig in, determined to survive, you are creating something that will serve others who come after you. The pools you dig for yourself, the lessons learned, the testing of your faith, the revelations about who God is—all of these will be pools others can drink from who come after you. God uses everything in our lives if we give him the chance. So, soon, others will not be alone in the valley of weeping…because you will be with them.
Prayer
Thank you that I am not alone in the valley of weeping. I confess I am hurting now Jesus. Please come near to me, and bring others to sustain me in this time.
Author: Christian Dunn
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