WHERE CAN I FIND STRENGTH?

READ PSALM 84

CAN WE FIND PEACE AND HOPE IN OUR DESERTS?

Psalm 84:5-7

Blessed are those whose strength is in you,

in whose heart are the highways to Zion.

As they go through the Valley of Baca

they make it a place of springs;

the early rain also covers it with pools.

They go from strength to strength;

each one appears before God in Zion.

Trials make no distinctions between rich or poor, young or old, educated or uneducated, every nationality. I realize that so many of you, my dear friends, are going through trials that I cannot even imagine. I have no idea how a person can humanly make it through the difficulties of life. The present suffering for many is great. Some have been struggling without a job for a long time. Some have been overwhelmed by family problems. Some are dealing with very difficult health situations. Some even know that their death is not far. How do we deal with an uncertain future?

‘Blessed are those whose strength is in You!’

Oh, I know where there is hope, where we must go to find strength: into the arms of our most wise and loving God.

In the presence of God I find compassion, I find out what true forgiveness looks like. It is when I read the Scriptures that I find out what true love looks like. Here on earth, I may find a measure of compassion from people who cannot really understand what I am going through, but Christ knows very well.

Hebrews 4:14-16

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Christ knows exactly what it means to be humiliated. He left the eternal glory with the Father so that He could live among men. He lived as a servant and died the death of a villain. All abandoned Him, as He faced the most excruciating pain to carry our sins, when He had never thought, desired or done any wrong. He never had a selfish thought, He never desired evil for His enemies, He never looked for revenge, He never had any kind of pride. He was sinless!

It is with Christ that we find out what love really looks like. He loved the unlovable, those who reviled Him. He loved with no hope of being loved back the same way. In fact, He loved, knowing the pain and suffering that He would receive by the hands of those whom He loved.

Romans 5:6-11

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

We have received reconciliation through our Lord Jesus Christ! Do you know this kind of love? Do you know the cost? Do you realize your unworthiness?

When I stop and take my eyes off my ‘desert’, I realize that I do have hope, I am cared for, I am loved beyond what I can ever understand!

The Valley of Baca was a place of desolation, but as the children of Israel traveled through it to worship in Jerusalem, even that valley became a place of joy. The valley did not change, but God’s people found strength in knowing their God and rehearsing His goodness.

We can find strength in God. Christ is our hope. Heaven is our destination. We live today in light of those things which are eternal.

Look up, dear friend. If you are going through a valley of desolation, look up as you journey to heaven. If you have friends who are struggling, may they find in you a voice, a life, that points them to Christ.

As the children of Israel progressed toward their worship in Jerusalem, they became stronger and stronger. As we walk as pilgrims in this world, may our strength be multiplied as we grow in our knowledge of Christ, as we learn about God’s wisdom, power, and love!