The Ark Community

'Food for Thought 75'

THE GOD OF MOUNTAINS AND VALLEYS

Our God is the “God of mountains”. He is the One who lifts us up and as the eagles, He makes us dwell above every circumstance and situation. Our God brings us to the Mountain Top and lets us admire the wonders He does. From the advantage of the Mountain Top, He gives us the victory while remaining under His protection and defence. Definitely, our God is a God of the mountains!

But what about when we, instead of being safe on the mountain top, find ourselves uncovered, in an open plain, and in the “valley”? Our walk with the Lord doesn’t consist only of Mountain Tops and victories, of healings and prompt answers…! The Valley, the one with capital "V", is that situation or moment in our life in which it seems that things are not going as they should, where victory seems far away and where the victories the Lord has promised, seem to turn into defeat.

But our God is also the "God of valleys". He is the One who is able to overcome defeats and to take us out of them. Our God is God not only in extraordinary victories or when everything goes well, but He is also God in the difficulties and the afflictions.

We all agree, being in the Valley is not as nice as being on the top of the mountain. The Valley is low... when we are down there anyone and everything looks bigger than us... the mountains that gave you safety before, now appear to you as giants ready to hinder your escape and to grind you at any occasion..! The breeze that refreshed you while being in the shelter of some rocks, now is a wind that assails you without any protection…!

No, definitely, the valley is not a nice place at all, but it is in the valley that our characters are forged. It is here where we see our own weakness. It is while in the Valley we realize that Christ is our only and real resource.

David defeated the Giant, fighting in the   Valley…!

Yes, exactly, David was in a valley: “The Philistines stood on a mountain on one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side, with a valley between them” [1 Samuel 17:3]

David came down from the mountain and challenged the giant in the valley! And he won the giant while the entire army, including King Saul, was safe on the mountain.

We as Christians are called to accomplish God’s will in any circumstance, to believe in Him for the victory wherever we are, whether we are up there in shelter on the mountains, or down there in the valley. It’s not the place that makes the difference, but our faith and our perseverance to go on with God...! The God of the Valleys is the same God of Mountain Tops; He is our refuge and salvation forever. Amen+

    Maria Cerino (ITA)