A fountain will flow out of the Lord’s house
Joel 3:18 (NIV)
and will water the valley of acacias.”
Presence In The Valley
The psalmist King of Israel David expresses tender and intimate revelation of God’s character in seeing and describing God as a shepherd in his most famous Psalm, Psalm 23. As the psalm unfolds, David describes the characteristics of God as a Good Shepherd; A picture beautifully embodied in the living person and character of Jesus, our Good Shepherd who cares for his sheep (See John 10:11). It is verse 4 of Psalm 23 that I want to pause at and begin with today where David describes God’s abiding presence and comforting protection as a Shepherd through the wilderness valleys and hills of Israel.
Even though I walk
Psalm 23:4 (NIV)
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
This powerful verse doubles in meaning as a description of God’s presence through the barren and dark valleys that we find ourselves walking through in life; places where we cannot see what is before us, that appear threatening, frightening, painfully lonely and overwhelming or where we feel stuck.
I wanted the theme of today’s blog to encourage those of you finding yourself in such a place today. This is based on a beautiful picture and scriptures God recently revealed to me on the theme of His transforming power and presence during life’s painful, unexplainable, and overwhelming moments and seasons.
From Valley to Still Waters
The picture God gave me was of myself standing before a valley that was steep sided and semi-circular. I then saw water begin to pour over the valley’s sides until all around the valley’s edges water was streaming over and looked like a waterfall like Niagara Falls in Canada. The valley filled up with water until it became a large lake. As the streaming waters became quiet trickles, the water became still.
What I felt God showing me was that whatever we are going through or are facing, God’s presence has the power to transform this desolate valley into an oasis of still waters. That may either mean God will transform or deliver you or me in the situation or position we find ourselves in, or in many cases, he will change our perspective of such a difficult situation that transforms our view of it, restoring our hope and reminding us through his restorative presence and promises of who He is.
It is when we begin to fix our eyes on Christ rather than our surroundings that the barren valley, we find ourselves in begins to be flooded with an overflow of living waters. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you realign your eyes to Christ. Look again at your value to him through His finished work on the cross where he took your place and mine; to His steadfast promise to never leave nor forsake you or me and His unfailing, perfect love that casts out all fear on which you can stand secure.
As a change in our perspective and focus takes place, our desolate valley can transform into the deep still waters, described by David in Psalm 23:2, that Christs leads us by the hand to; waters of peace that surpasses our understanding, defies logic or circumstance and where security found in his nearness returns to us.
Under the Overflow of Christ
The scripture the Holy Spirit led me to from the Old Testament Prophet Joel says:
“In that day the mountains will drip new wine, and the hills will flow with milk, all the ravines of Judah will run with water. A fountain will flow out of the Lord’s house
and will water the valley of acacias.”
Joel 3:18 (NIV)
It prophetically describes Christ as the outpouring of New Wine representing the New Covenant forged by his shed blood and especially his place as a fountain of living water flowing out of the Lord’s house watering the Valley of Acacias. This refers to a specific valley in Israel (the valley of Shittim), however this valley also symbolizes the desolate valleys that we find ourselves wandering through for it is in these barren wildernesses where many Acacia trees are found. Into such places, the overflow of Christ is poured: that is His love, sacrifice, healing, redemption, and truth.
Today, hold fast to Christ and look to him, for his abiding presence endures with you, His love sooths you, His peace stills you, His heart to which you are joined knows everything you have felt and walked through. Look to him once again and let the valley you’re in become flooded with the fullness of your saviour who banishes drought and delivers you to still waters.
Amen.
©2021 B. Trowbridge
Abba's Dearly Beloved 