Eden or a Valley
“Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain.” Isaiah 40:4 (KJV)
One day, I was visiting with a group of ladies who were discussing what could be called “valley experiences”. Each lady had experienced her own “valley”. Each shared the Lord’s goodness and faithfulness to them during those difficult times.
One of the ladies shared how the Lord helped her and her husband through a trial by providing a new job and relocating their family to another state. A new job, a new town, new friends, and a new church were just what they needed. She shared that after the move, she was blessed with seven years of peace and contentment that she called her “Eden”.
I thought about that in the days that followed. This ladies’ testimony had left an impression. Of course, when she said that time had been her “Eden”, she didn’t mean that the Lord had sent her to a sinless garden where she was able to walk and talk in His physical presence. She was talking about a time in life when things are going well, when you are at peace with yourself, with others, and most importantly with the Lord. Some call it the “mountain top”.
Another lady told me of a similar experience. Many years ago, her husband believed the Lord was calling them out of their “Eden”. Their move was not what they had hoped for. She told me that her husband once asked her if she thought that they had made a mistake. She assured him that they had not. She told him their “Eden” was the preparation for the time when they would go to the “the valley”. Eden is easier. But it was in the valley where they grew.
Have you ever overlooked a valley? Some are large. Some are small. Some are deeper than others. Some are encompassed about by terrain so rough that they are far too dangerous to explore without proper preparation and equipment. Yet, they are beautiful to behold. God is in the valley as well as on the mountain top.
If God’s plan takes you into a valley, remember He doesn’t send you there alone. He is always our guide. He will provide the strength and the grace that you need to accomplish what He wants to accomplish in you. It will be hard. It will test you. You may get some bumps and bruises along the way. But you will learn far more about yourself and your God in the valley, then on the mountain top.
Wherever your “Eden” may be, appreciate it. Be thankful for it. But don’t long to stay there. God has planned a journey for you intended to mold you into His image. You will experience the sunshine on your face and the rain on your head. You may be refreshed by a calm, warm wind and then, blown about by a raging storm. You may swim in an ocean or wander awhile in a desert. You will stand high on the mountain top. And you may fall into the depths of a valley. All the while, the Lord will be your constant companion.
Trust Him. He will take you by the hand and lead you: step by step, path by path, high on the mountain, and faithfully through the valley.
Remember, He is a shelter. Our hope in Him is an anchor. He is an abundant source of living water that can satisfy in the driest desert place. He is our safety net on the highest mountain. And He is our lifeline should we descend into the valley. He is our guide on this journey fulfilling His glorious purpose. Rest assured that He will lead you inch by inch or mile by mile, back to the top of the mountain. He will restore you and reveal magnificent wonders that lie in the distance for you.