“Therefore, behold, I will allure her,
and bring her into the wilderness,
and speak tenderly to her.
And there I will give her her vineyards
and make the Valley of Achor a door of hope…
“And in that day, declares the Lord, you will call me ‘My Husband…’ I will make you lie down in safety. And I will betroth you to me forever. I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy. I will betroth you to me in faithfulness. And you shall know the Lord.
“And in that day I will answer, declares the Lord,
I will answer the heavens,
and they shall answer the earth,
and the earth shall answer the grain, the wine, and the oil,
and they shall answer Jezreel,
and I will sow her for myself in the land.
And I will have mercy on No Mercy,
and I will say to Not My People, ‘You are my people’;
and he shall say, ‘You are my God.’” Hosea 2:14-16a,18b-23
“Thus says the Lord, ‘Because the Syrians have said, “The Lord is a god of the hills but he is not a god of the valleys,” therefore I will give all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the Lord.’” 1 Kings 20:28
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.” Psalm 23:4
“Every valley shall be lifted up,
and every mountain and hill be made low;
the uneven ground shall become level,
and the rough places a plain.” Isaiah 40:4
Valley of Achor [trouble]. Valley of battle. Valley of the shadow of death, and of rough places. The Redeemer came to walk these vales for and with His people. He came to bring hope and help and comfort there, to impart victory, to raise them up. The valley of every cross becomes, in the Lord’s marvelous economy and architecture, a valley to be relished and embraced because of Calvary.
This world is marked with many a valley, some deep, some long, some rocky and dangerous. The days of our lives amble, rise, and dip according to valleys appointed for us. We walk, we plod, we stumble or strain or climb, often weary, burdened with care and downcast by limited in vision. Difficult travel and relentless demands prevent us from realizing that the valley is finite and we have a heavenly Companion beside. He knows the way, with every pitfall. He sees the light behind the shadows. He carries the rod to correct and protect and staff to rescue, and the place where the valley ends. (Job 23:8-10)
What if we considered that personal present life valleys were vales of His cross? That where He calls us to walk are journeys of knowing His suffering and resurrection? Of His indescribable love and power? How might we take up hope and be inspired by joy if we shared our valleys with our Savior and Redeemer? (Matthew 16:24; Philippians 3:10)
Lord, keep we willing and grateful to walk life’s vales with Thee. Teach me that the dark wilderness way is Your place of victory, light, and glory.
As the rain and snow 