From Strength to Strength or Tears to Blessings

Blessed are those 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,
   till each appears before God in Zion.

Psalms 84:5-7 NIV

Sometimes we refer to the valleys and mountain top experiences of our lives. I think it's easy to get caught up in the idea of somethings wrong if we are in a "valley". That's what encourages me in these verses: It's not about valleys and mountain tops, it's about finding your strength in the source of strength, God. 

Notice that it says "from strength to strength", not from mountain top to mountain top. What is important is to know our strength is in Christ. In verse 6 the Valley of Baca can mean the Valley of Tears. Interesting word picture. Sometimes the battle is tough, and even brings us to a point of tears. The psalmist proclaims that even in the valley, when we make God our strength, we make a valley of tears into a valley of pools or blessings!

What this leads me to do is ask myself if I am trying to get to a mountain top or to my strength which is found in God alone. These verses exhort me to look to God to be my strength. I encourage you to remember that God is your strength not matter where you are and he will turn your tears into blessings.

Do You Need a Slap in the Face?

Why are you downcast , O my soul?
   Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
   for I will yet praise him,
   my Savior and my God.
Psalm 43:5

One of my best friends used to think that everyone else in church was always living in perfect peace and happiness. From his perspective when people said they were OK he thought they meant they weren't having any trials and God was speaking to them every moment of every day. It took him awhile to learn that everyone else at church had their struggles too. 

That is why I love David. David sought God from the middle of his struggles. I mean here he is, feeling attacked and it sounds like depressed. He asks God to vindicate and rescue him. 

He looks to the truth about God then asks why it does not match up with what is happening in his life. He knows God is his stronghold but he feels rejected by God. Then he asks God to get him out. He asks God to take him to the place where God dwells. 

This reminds me of once when my wife was in the hospital. I was very concerned because I didn't know what God was doing. My pastor came by and sort of slapped me in the face and told me I needed to get it together and that my wife needed to know that I knew God was in control and God would take care of her. I didn't need to know that he had been through something like I was going through. I needed to put my hope in God, knowing that I would yet praise him, my Savior and my God. That is sort of what I see David doing to himself. He is praying and encouraging himself to believe in God because God is his Savior and he will yet praise him.

God is your stronghold. God is your hope. God is your Savior. He will send forth his light and his truth and they will guide you to his holy mountain. You will praise him!