In The Valley
In order to have a shadow, you must
have light. And the light can be either before you, to show the
shadow behind you; or the light may be behind you, revealing the
shadow ahead of you.
A valley has three parts: a beginning,
a middle and an end. It's length is determined by distance from one
hill, mountain, clifftop, precipice or high place to another. Valleys
are seldom flat or easy to walk on. Meadows, forests and waters can
separate valleys causing them to appear as if they were not really
valleys at all.
Valleys encompass only a fraction of
land: water covers 90% of the earth; and most of that is undrinkable.
Land covers the other 10%, but a portion of that is uninhabitable,
due either to wastelands or extreme heat, which leaves us with about
8% of this earth is land, which is covered in valleys, mountains,
hills, plains, deserts, forests.
The majority of this 8% is habitable.
Unfortunately, many people fight over the land instead of learning
how to live with the land and with each other. From a small village
to a hidden getaway; from a metropolis to a country villa; from a
castle to a hut; from kings to thugs; land is sold, taken away,
blood-soaked, ruined to wastes, and burned. The dead are buried
beneath the land, burned and scattered across the land by winds, and
hidden in tall stone pyramids above the land or laid to rest in
mausoleums above ground; while some sink to the bottom of the ocean.
The lands we live on are decimated by
hate, a symptom of darkness. Darkness which covered the earth at one
time, but was sent fleeing when God created light: Genesis 1:2-4 “And
the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face
of the deep. And The Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
And God said, 'Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw
the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the
darkness.”
Light reveals darkness and sends it
fleeing away. The more light there is, the less dark there is. The
more Light (1 John 1:5 “This then is the message which we have
heard of Him, and declare unto you, that God Is Light, and in Him is
no darkness at all.”) there is, the less darkness (Ephesians 6:12
“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against
principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of
this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”) there
is.
God Is Light. What a beautiful Name
this is! James 1:17 “Every good and perfect gift is from above, and
comes down from The Father of lights, with Whom is no variableness,
neither shadow of turning.” No shadow of turning, no separation
from God. No variableness, no never contrary, not fickle in nature;
always true and truthful, faithful, sure.
God Is Near. No separation from God.
Isaiah 41:10, 13 “Fear thou not, for I am with you: be not
dismayed; for I am your God: I will strengthen you; yes, I will help
you with the right hand of My Righteousness. --- For I The Lord thy
God will hold your right hand, saying unto you, 'Fear not; I will
help you.” Hebrews 13:5, 6 “Let your conversation be without
covetousness; and be content with such things as you have: for He has
said, 'I will never leave you, nor forsake you. So that we may boldly
say, 'The Lord Is my Helper, and I will not fear what man shall do to
me.'” Psalm 27:1 “The Lord Is my Light and my Salvation; whom
shall I fear? The Lord Is the Strength of my life; of whom shall I be
afraid?”
God Is my Helper. Psalm 27:2-3, 5 “When
the wicked, even my enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my
flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though a host should encamp against
me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in
this will I be confident....For in the time of trouble He shall hide
me in His pavilion: in the secret of His tabernacle shall He hide me;
He shall set me up upon a rock.”
God Is Provision. Psalm 23:4 “Yes,
though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear
no evil: for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff comfort me.”
Psalm 25:2 “O my God, I trust in You:
let me not be ashamed, let not my enemies triumph over me.”
Psalm
27:11 “Teach me Your way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path,
because of my enemies.”
Psalm 28:7 “The Lord Is my Strength
and my Shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped: therefore my
heart greatly rejoices; and with my song I will praise Him.”
Psalm 31:3 “For You are my Rock and
my Fortress; therefore for Your Name's sake lead me, and guide me.”
Psalm 32:7 “You are my Hiding Place;
You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall compass me about with
songs of Deliverance. Selah.”
Psalm 34:18 “The Lord is near to them
that are of a broken heart; and saves such as be of a contrite
spirit.”
Psalm 37:5, 6 “Commit your way unto
The Lord; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass. And He
shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your judgment
as the noonday.”
Psalm 38:39, 40 “But the salvation of
the righteous is of The Lord: He Is their Strength in the time of
trouble. And The Lord shall help them, and deliver them from the
wicked, and save them, because they trust in Him.”
Psalm 40:1-4 “I waited patiently for
The Lord; and He inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up
also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet
upon a Rock, and established my goings. And He has put a new song in
my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and
shall trust in The Lord. Blessed is that man that makes The Lord his
trust, and respects not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.”
Psalm 43:3 “O send out Your light and
Your truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto Your holy hills,
and to Your tabernacles.”
Psalm 46:1 “God Is our Refuge and
Strength, a very present help in trouble.”
Psalm 56:3,-4, 9 -13“What time I am
afraid, I will trust in You. In God I will praise His Word, in God I
have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do to me. … .When
I cry unto You, then shall my enemies turn back: this I know; for God
is with me. In God will I praise His Word: in The Lord will I praise
His Word. In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man
can do unto me. You r vows are upon me, O God: I will render praise
unto You. For You have delivered my soul from death: will You not
also deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the
light of the living?”
For Thou Art With Me
“O my Lord, though I walk through The
Valley of The Shadow of Death, I will fear no evil: for You are with
me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. Such a restful verse
this is. I am contented in The Lord. I trust Him in all things, all
ways, always. The Lord is my friend, my constant companion and I am
His. He neither turns to the left, nor to the right: God is very near
to me at all times. We walk the strait and narrow road together, for
The Lord God is my Righteousness. It is He that covers me with His
covenant of Grace and Lovingkindness.
We walk together in His light and His
love. For when He redeemed my soul from death, He filled me with His
light and His love. His Name is upon me. His glory shines upon me and
through me. Your rod and Your staff guide me and lead me to safer
places, higher places, where no evil can go. You hold my right hand
and guide my fingers and my heart when I write, when I embrace Your
Word. You are the Strength of my life; in You I am found: Lord, be
found in me. Be the center of my life, the joy of my praise, my songs
are of You. You are my Salvation: with Your blood You have redeemed
my soul. Not enough words can be found to praise Your Name for ever.
Yet, I will try and I will endure till the end, when You finally
bring me home with You. Amen."
