Even in the Valleys…
The Lord‘s been talking to me a lot this week about valleys.
I saw an image on social media sometime back and the words on the image read: “If your path demands you walk through Hell, walk like you own the place.”
I’ve also been reading Job this week. I’ve always loved Job. Here was a man who went through hell. And he walked like he owned the place. Even after his friends accused him of wrong. In the face of seeing no other evidence, they figured he must have some hidden evil that he had not admitted to and that’s why things had gone so wrong for him. But even in the face of their accusations, Job knew he was innocent. He knew that sometimes we walk through valleys through no fault of our own. Sometimes it’s just a test. One of the strongest verses in the book of Job is chapter 28 verse 28: “The fear of the Lord is true wisdom; to forsake evil is real understanding.”
In protesting his innocence, Job recounts his good deeds, as well as his avoidance of evil. He recounts how he has lived his life with godly ethics. In chapter 31 verse 24 he talks about money. He says: “Have I put my trust in money or felt secure because of my gold? Have I gloated about my wealth and all that I own?”
Even in Job, the oldest book in the Bible, we find wisdom that trust and physical wealth is worthless. Our trust needs to be in the Lord of Armies!
God has called his people—not to build an empire of gold—but to build a new kingdom. A kingdom built on what is right and true and pure and holy. My Bible says that God owns the cattle on a thousand hills. God owns the rabbits in my barn, God owns the chickens in my coop. They are his. He brought them to me to take care of them and I know that he will provide for them, just as he provides for me because I too am his.
We are facing a challenging time in the history of our republic. This brings us to challenging times in our own personal lives and in our families. But today I want to encourage you that when it looks like the strength of men is failing, know that the strength of God never fails.
“As long as I live, while I have breath from God, my lips will speak no evil, and my tongue will speak no lies.“
And today the greatest truth that I can speak is that God is in control. He is in control ultimately and nothing happens without his permission. Sometimes, like Job, we are allowed to be tested grievously, maybe even what we might consider to be harshly. But I know Who will win in the end. Our strength lies in God Almighty, in his precepts, and in following his ways.
I’ve seen this before in my life – when it looks like all hope is gone, when there’s no food in the cupboard and no money in the bank – my God has supplied all of my needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
Be encouraged today, my friends. No matter what, when it looks the darkest, when it looks the most hopeless, God‘s provision and leading will shine the brightest. For that I am grateful. God is good. All the time.
So stay the course my friends. Don’t give up. Never surrender, never give up. God‘s will will be done. Put your trust in him and know that he will provide for you.
