"The man of God came up and told the king of Israel, "This is
what the Lord says: 'Because the Arameans think the Lord is a god of the hills
and not a god of the valleys, I will deliver this vast army into your hands, and
you will know that I am the Lord'." - 1 Kings 20:28
Whenever we stand on the mountain, we are able to see clearly. It is the best
vantage point to see what lies ahead. Wouldn't it be great to live on the
mountain all the time in order to anticipate what is ahead? God allows us to
experience the mountaintop at times. Joseph's first mountaintop experience was
as a young man. He had the favor of his father, Jacob. He was given a fine coat
and even had a dream about his future. As a young man, Joseph had a sense of
destiny about his life. God often gives us a picture of our future so that we
will remember this picture when we are being tested to trust Him in the valley.
This picture usually does not reveal how God intends to bring about the visions
for our life.
However, none of us really derive the character qualities God desires for our
lives while we are on the mountain. It is in the valley where the fruit is
planted and harvested. It cannot grow on the mountain; it must grow in the
valley. God is a God of the mountain, but he is even more a God of the valley.
In the valley, it is more difficult to see ahead; the clouds often cover the
valley and limit our sight. Joseph was thrust into a deep valley that left him
wondering if the God of his father had forsaken him. Jesus hoped that He might
be able to avoid the valley that caused Him to sweat blood. There is a valley
that each of us must enter, usually unwillingly, in order to experience the God
of the valley-and to experience His faithfulness in the valley. Once we have
spent time in this valley, we come out with something we would have never gained
if we had not entered it. The valley brings much fruit into our lives so that we
might plant seeds into the lives of others. God does not waste valley
experiences. If we are faithful in the valley, we will enter a new dimension
with God that we never thought possible. There is a harvest of wisdom and virtue
that can only be grown in the valley.
Has God brought you into the valley? Know that the valley is a place of
fruitfulness; it is a place of testing. It is where God brings what you know in
your head into your heart. The only value of knowledge is when it becomes part
of your heart. Look for God in the valley today.
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