A Place Of Springs

“Blessed are the men 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…” (Psalm 84:5-6)

I have a confession to make. And I know that many of us share the same story. I am not always filled with the joy of the Lord. I find myself being affected by people who are in a bad mood. I would get into a bad mood too, when my thoughts turn sour, when my mind is clouded with darkness, and my gaze is anything but kind and gentle. My words would drip with sarcasm and cynicism.

Psalm 19:14 says, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer”. That prayer would then be so difficult to utter.

Once the dark cloud had passed and I had regained my sanity, it would all seem like a bad dream. But in the quiet of the night, while pondering the passing of the day, I have asked the Lord in prayer if He could not just make me sweet tempered and kind, able to influence the situation with His strength rather than succumb to the weight of difficult relationships; to reign over the circumstances rather than be crushed under it.

He then directed me to the verses in Psalm 84:4-5, which speak of those who draw their strength from the Lord, the ones whose hearts and aspirations are focused on heaven. I understood that if my strength is to be from the Lord, then I must not and cannot rely on my own strength which is weak and unreliable. His strength is more than able to sustain me through any situation.

If my focus is to be heaven, then I must prepare to get there just as if I were preparing for a journey. I would pack only what I could carry, mindful of the weight and the long road ahead of me.

If I were preparing for heaven, then my baggage would have to be light indeed. I would not want to be straddled with pride and ego issues, or with the heaviness of unforgiveness or unconfessed sins. I would want to make sure that I was not hung up by minor issues like irritation or impatience, or weighed down by concern for material things. I would be concerned with keeping my eyes on the road, making sure I don’t trip or fall on the way, keeping my steps sure and steady, obeying all the rules of the road.

As I traverse the bitter valley of life in the world, I would need the Lord’s springs of Living Water, His Holy Spirit, if I were to make the land a place of springs. I would need to be a reservoir of grace if I were to transform the landscape into one that is fertile and yielding rich fruit. I would need to constantly draw from the wellsprings of His loving mercy. And I know I could not do it alone. I would need the Lord Jesus to walk every step of the way with me.

Lord Jesus, in your great kindness, be with me through the struggles and trials of each day. Help me to lean on you and draw from your strength whenever I feel weak and unable to cope. Help me to walk in step with Your Holy Spirit and drink deep from the wells of your saving grace that I might transform my life and the lives of others with your love and reach heaven along with all those you place in my path.