Walking on a progressive journey, there are uphill segments, downhill segments, flatlands and rest. Each one of those puts stress on a different part of the body. Walking uphill tires the hamstrings, quadriceps and lungs. On the other hand, gliding downhill really works the knees. Even without hills, our bodies get tired, especially without endurance conditioning. Yet rest makes us weary, as well. If you sit on your bottom long enough, it gets sore, while the leg muscles tighten. In those times, there is nothing that feels better than stretching those muscles out by continuing the journey. Each segment gives us a different perspective with the change of scenery. Analogous to the Christian walk, the journey has meaning from start to finish.
13 And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. 14 The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.”
Exodus 14:13-14
Sometimes, the Lord desires for us to stand still. When faced with an enemy or battle, standing still is neither a retreat nor an advance. Many Christians fear confrontation, for it is in those situations when our flesh rears its ugly head. Most of the time, compromise is the key, when each side gives in to some degree. Yet God never desires for us to compromise our morals, principles or values. In those times, we need to stand firm.
Certainly, it is difficult to stand still and hold your peace when a war wages around you. It seems much simpler to run away. Yet peace to a believer is the knowledge that the Lord fights our battles for us. Our rest is in His salvation. Salvation is deliverance! In the Old Testament, though the word “salvation” was used often, rarely did people apply that concept to sin. Yet we know that the Lord has delivered us from sin, as well as from every difficulty that might arise. Sometimes, deliverance is death, a release from the bonds of this broken world. For example, when a Christian suffers from cancer, fellow Christians pray for healing. The healing given by the Lord may occur in the physical realm, but even if that believer dies, the Lord’s healing occurs. Somehow we lose sight of the fact that when we are absent from the body, we are present with the Lord, as the words of Paul remind us in 2 Corinthians 5:8.
5Blessed is the man whose strength is in You,
Whose heart is set on pilgrimage.
6As they pass through the Valley of Baca,
They make it a spring;
The rain also covers it with pools.
7They go from strength to strength;
Each one appears before God in Zion.
Psalm 84:5-7
A pilgrimage was a requirement for every able-bodied Jewish man above the age of 20 to make three times yearly, at Passover (Pesach), Pentecost (Shavuot) and Tabernacles (Sukkot). It sure would be easier for those living in Jerusalem. Maybe God desired for His people to live in His chosen city! Depending upon where they lived, the pilgrimage could be a sizable journey, requiring both time and finances. Yet as the verse above reiterates, it was a journey of the heart. Though faced with difficulties along the way, those trusting in the Lord turned the challenging valleys into springs, adding life and sustenance to weary bodies along the journey. Just as the Jewish pilgrims, we are called to go from “strength to strength.” That strength is a gift from God, who reminds us that when we are weak, then we are strong in Him! If life’s journey had anything to do with our own strength, we would be destined for failure, but we continue our walks in the strength of the Lord. His strength is immeasurable!
No matter what battle is facing you, God is powerful enough to handle it exactly as He desires. He has a purpose and plan in your life, and if you have chosen to follow Him, He will lead you beside still waters. He does not push us, pull us or drag us, yet leads us gently to the places He desires for our nourishment and growth. Before we knew Him, we were blind, and even then, He gently led us to the place where we would come to know His gentle hand of salvation upon our lives. If He didn’t lead us to a cliff’s edge when we were blind, what makes us think He will lead us into danger now that we have been given spiritual sight? Trust Him! He never has let you down and He never will.
The LORD is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation;
He is my God, and I will praise Him;
My father’s God, and I will exalt Him.
Exodus 15:2
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