The mountaintops
both necessary
for growth
but one is
preferred
over the other.
"(Yea, though) I walk through the valley of the shadow of death," - Psalm 23:4
compassion, understanding sought
encouragement desired
not to be torn down
with words that fill us
with fear and anger
for what we are not
or are not any longer
or at best, not today
"Why can't you be the way you were?"
"Why can't you love me for where I am (now or at this moment)?"
Why is our focus
on your problems
my problems
everyone else's problems
That is where Satan wants us -
focusing on anything and everything
except the Lord Jesus
Our focus belongs
totally on Him
His goodness
His truth
His way
His wisdom
His peace
His forgiveness
His vision, purpose
His witness
His love
His will
Our focus does not belong
on what we resent
nor on bitterness
nor depression
nor anxiety
nor fear
nor being defensive
nor negative comments spoken or thought
Satan grabs a foothold and never lets loose
Deception is his game
He deceives and infiltrates our minds
so we believe lie upon lie
The Lord tells us not to stray
"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. ... Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord and He will lift you up." - James 4:8, 10
Stay away from mindless thinking connected to our old nature. Focus on the Lord and His goodness.
"And do not be conformed (molded) to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." - Romans 12:2
Yet we do ... stray.
Who makes you better
Did God
Are perceptions
of your troubles
less than mine
Does that make you
less imperfect
Are you too in a
valley
unaware
"You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You." - Isaiah 26:3
"Yea, though I (you, we) walk through the valley of the shadow of death"
The valley
The shadows speak
Is the noise booming louder
Is that why
we struggle
we can't hear
and when we can hear
the words are jumbled
out of order
senseless words
running together
We don't understand
the question
or the answer
Our brain fails to comprehend
Too much! Too much!
Too much noise
surrounding
"We cannot hear the still small voice of our Savior whispering to us because we are overcome with unbearable noise." - CMOL
If God is for us,
WHAT can stand against?!
reminds us
since God is for us
there is no one thing
that can be against us.
But we forget
We do not rise up,
rise above worldly thinking
and focus our entire being
on the Lord Jesus.
We do not trust Him
in every step taken.
Instead,
we respond naturally;
we drift downward
and negativity
becomes our answer
every time in the face
of every difficulty
real and perceived.
The Valley
Every burdensome stone
strikes
and is thrown
again and again
The light
is with us
We follow
the light
yet
The Valley
a place
placed
Have we forgotten
His Presence
shields us
enfolds us
"I have lifted you out of darkness into My marvelous light." - 1 Peter 2:9
We are sinners
saved by grace
yet
again
we go our own way
following a path
not His desire
His displeasure
brings us
to
The Valley,
where
His Voice,
however faint and far away,
is heard.
"He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone ... first." - John 8:7b
"Whatever God asks you to be, He enables you to be!" - Anne Ortlund
The Lord Jesus asks us to follow Him - to show His Way, His Truth, His Life. He does not ask us to be less - to follow those who love the world and the things in it.
He does not ask us to destroy another's ideas and hopes and dreams, to speak evil, to be selfish, to complain, to be defensive, to be bitter, to lie or tell half truths, to be deceitful, to be proud, to be discontented, to put another down, to pity ourselves.
"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life - is not of the Father but is of the world." - 1 John 2:15-16
The Lord asks us to be loving and to pursue love
to be patient and pursue patience
to be kind and pursue kindness
to be good and pursue goodness
to be faithful and pursue faithfulness
to be gentle and pursue gentleness
to be trusting and pursue trust
to be an encourager and pursue encouragement
to be compassionate and pursue tenderness
to be hopeful and pursue hope
Even in the valley
we can be raised up
The crooked places can be made straight
The rough places smooth
Even in the valley
The glory of the Lord
seen on the mountaintop
can be revealed.
"Every valley shall be exalted and every mountain and hill brought low
The crooked places shall be made straight and the rough places smooth;
The glory of the Lord shall be revealed ..." - Isaiah 40:4-5a
(c) Cathy Orrick Luders
Sept. 28 - Oct. 3, 2016
