As a farm boy who grew up in the countryside, I’d spent considerable amount of times in the fields and in the open terrains of valleys and hills. Before we could offer help, we’re only accompanying the grownups as they work in the fields.
The narrow valleys, which are too narrow to called them as valleys, are near drying up in this seasons as it waited for the summer rain. These narrow valleys with sand covering them are the source of our water during these periods.
We needed to plough or make the soil ready for sowing, which will be done in mid-spring or early summer, as the soil still retained humidity and summer rain are going to burst soon. The summer rain would boost the growth of the crops by supplying fresh water with minerals.
In this period, the weather is very humid. Although we’d bring water from home, much of them were consumed by us, the non-working yet busy people. I can still remember going to the narrow valleys to get water; and only to see an almost dried up and dirty water.
In the midst of our thirst, we weep since the chance of getting fresh water is slim. Our weeping sound or wailing alarmed our elder who came to help.
“Dig deeper, or make another water hole in the sand and waited for the water to clean up,” they advised.
We did as they told us; and in no time water welled up the holes in the sand although it takes time to get clean water. As we sat with hope near the water hole; we slowly throw the dirty water away, which fastened the cleaning process.
Then we carefully filled our bottles and jugs as we prepared for lunch. Lunch time, led by my grandfather was followed by Worshipping God with hymns and telling various Bible stories.
Naming the Places:
One thing we enjoyed, as a country boy, was naming places per our experience and what we found in that particular place. Even if other people didn’t comply with us, we used the names in our circle of friends.
Some examples are:
“Bee Valley”, where there are lots of beehives secretively hiding in the bushes. In this valley, we need to be careful about out steps and an unwanted bee attacks.
“The Valley of Death,” where death animals – cattle or small wild animals, are found in some season. “Lawichinna Mual”, loosely translated as ‘pasture hill’, where bunch of cattle pasture’s meet each morning.
In that way, the narrow weeping valley near our field has two names: “a place of weeping” and “the source of water” because we once cry there and it is the source of water almost throughout the year.
And here I wanted to convey more about this. Our place of crying can turn into a place of joy in the abiding grace of God, for a believer of His begotten son Jesus Christ.
The Valley of Baca:
In Psalms 84, there’s a mention of the Valley of Baca, which also means the Valley of Weeping. The Valley of Baca is the route of pilgrimage that are on their way to Zion.
This valley of weeping is not a geographical locality. It is an expression of grace, which people finds in their sorrow, changing their sorrow into blessings. This psalm is addressed to the saints whose heart is set to the strength of God, desiring to be on the sanctuary of Jehovah.
David’s life had witnessed hard times, many times in the hands of the enemy. In 2 Samuel 5, the Philistines camped to attack David’s army. He asked the Lord of his next move by waiting for Him near the poplar trees. Now, one thing was certain that when he waited and followed the Lord, victory’s assured.
The Lord delivered David from the hands of the enemy. The valley of weeping was turned into a place where the Lord him that He’ll be with him as a kind. The moments of loneliness, although a King and only a human being, the Lord turned his valley of weeping into the valley of blessing.
Strength in the Lord – Making a Well:
We have our own valley of weeping. Some weep outwardly; while some weep inwardly. At certain point of time and space, we roam through the valley of weeping. We wanted some advised; but none came. We are eager to fight it out; but we’re unwilling to follow advises.
Only those who derived strength in the Lord are able to walk past the valley. These periods are our determining periods of our life. Some are consumed while some are not. But here in these verses, the Psalmist wrote beyond that:
As they passed through the valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools or blessings. They go from strength to strength till they appear before God in Zion (the sanctuary of God.) (Verses 6 and 7)
Blessed are those whose strength is in you, Lord; their hearts are set on pilgrimage. For, they never lose strength till they appear before the Lord or now in the blood of Christ, the Lord appears before them.
When we feel drier and thirsty, let’s dig more into the word of God through the Bible. Then He’ll fill our cup; change of weeping eyes into celebrating eyes, which further provide water for another pilgrims.
Our adversity – Our Connection:
We all lack something; there are some of us who feel we lack more. In the face of adversity, we felt as if walking through the valley of Baca. David’s was his first test a king whose connection renewed each day. My epileptic disorder did gives me hard times, an embarrasing situations at time, but being in this valley makes me more willing to connect with Jesus Christ.
All of us may not received physical healing but in our suffering Jesus is with us to walk through the hard times and moments. He watches over us, really. And I believe, He know your problems or sufferings too, alhtough it may hugely differ.
Let me jumped to the Samaritan woman who drinks from Jesus: Everyone’s thirsty, as I said earlier, so we need water. The well is deep and Jesus had nothing to draw the water out of it. And that’s our view too.
But in every circumstances of life, Jesus Christ, Himself, is the source of water. In the dry valley of Baca, where there’s no hope or no signs of water, by the strength we found in Him, we could become or make springs if it is in the will of God.
Our adversities become our connection with Him, welling up to eternal life, should we run to Jesus. If not, it’d simply consume us.
The Valley of Transition:
There is a huge valley of transition, like doors, which no one could avoid walking past it. The valley offers hope to the believers of what Christ did for us.
It is a transition because our weary body would get fully renewed in His presence. We would drink from his cup to never thirst again.
That door, the huge door, is opening for all of us; but only to each one according to their time as decided by the Lord.
Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.
As they pass through the Valley of Baca,
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.
Hear my prayer, LORD God Almighty;
listen to me, God of Jacob.
For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
the LORD bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold
from those whose walk is blameless.
LORD Almighty,
blessed is the one who trusts in you.
(Source Psalms 84:5-8, 11, 12 NIV)
