Rapturous glee sprung up from her tired soul. And yet, upon closer inspection, apprehension replaced her joy. Her eyes failed to reach the end of the dark, foreboding valley. She shuddered and retreated. But, what other way was there? Clenching her fists, she decided to push through. Still, the familiar voice of doubt shook her resolve, and made her dread the possibility of being trapped in the valley before nightfall.
What will I do then?
As she stood unmoving and struggled to decide her next step, a soft breeze cooled her sun-parched skin. With the breeze, came a soft whisper:
Blessed are those whose strength is in Me, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.
She breathed a deep sigh and closed her eyes to savor the soothing wind and bask in the marvelous light those words brought to the dark, fearful crevices of her soul.
I will go from strength to strength.
With a determination that surprised even her, she gathered her courage and took a step toward the small opening. She had taken only a few strides forward when an unmistakable rippling sound stopped her on her tracks. She couldn’t believe her ears! Water?!
She turned around to look at the path she had just passed. On the exact spot where she had taken her first step into the valley, water gushed out of the ground.
She stood rooted to her spot as right before her eyes, a spring formed in the desert. She gawked in disbelief for a few more heartbeats before her thirst overcame her. Bending forward, she scooped water in her hands and drank. The water — unlike any other — refreshed not only her body, but her soul.
A renewed sense of hope arose from her depths.
Why sulk and be so downcast?
A smile formed on her face as she continued her journey, walking deeper and deeper into the unknowns of the wilderness. Doubt and apprehension left her. Convinced He would take care of her throughout her adventure, she brought the spark of expectation in her soul into the recesses of the dark, uncharted valley. Belief grew within her: finding Him outweighs whatever the cost.
Manna
Verses for Meditation
Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. Psalm 43:5
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. Psalm 84:5-7
Author’s Reflections
We forget too easily. We forget we are not the same people who took that life-changing first step to follow God Almighty. If we compare where we began and where we are now, we have gone from strength to strength.
We fail to remember we’ve gone past treks through our own “Valleys of Baka” — translated as valleys of weeping. And, our tears became a source of restoration and refreshment, not only to ourselves, but also to others.
We forget, and we despair, and we find our souls downcast, our minds bewildered, but we’ve decided not to turn back. Through the doubts and apprehensions, we take that step forward in our journey. One foot after another. A day, an hour, a minute, a second at a time.
And we walk on, because we set our hearts on this pilgrimage, and though we sometimes falter, we pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and will ourselves to keep going.
It is His strength that enables us to do this. This is where we are strong. A kind leader of mine once told me: You are strongest when you are weak. This has rung true with every step I’ve taken toward him in moments of weakness. He has become my Strength, my Source of refreshment.
This is our story as His church, His bride. We go from strength to strength, even when emotions say otherwise, until we see Him face to face.
Take a moment to reflect today. In what areas of your life — areas of weakness maybe — has He given you grace to go from strength to strength? Are you thankful? Is it something worth celebrating? Is He not deserving of our worship?
Why so downcast, soul? Put your trust in God.
This is from allegorical devotional, The Woman in the Wilderness.