“Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee: in whose heart are the ways of them? The great secret of strength in the ways of God, is the full assurance of His love. When we have learned the love that gave Jesus to die for us, and the Holy Ghost to quicken and teach us, we shall be content to trust the ordering of all things for our journey homewards to Him. This is the strength of God in the soul, and this alone will give good heart for the way in which He leads, be it rough or smooth. What else could make the weary pilgrim sing on his lonely way, or the martyr glorify God in the fire? True, it is the way in which the cross is found, but it is God’s way — the way home, and the heart is in it.
The desires of the renewed soul, we know, can never be fully satisfied until it reaches the Father’s house on high; but till then, the way thither must be the main thing with the heart. Here pause for a little, Ο my soul, and meditate on this great truth. It is of daily, hourly importance, see that thou understandest it well. It will give strength and courage to thy heart — decision and firmness to thy feet, and consistency to all thy path. Do, I pray thee, dwell upon it, and dismiss it not till thou hast comprehended its meaning. Forget not the blessing hero given.
“Blessed are they that dwell in thy house........
Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee.” Let all then who are now passing through the valley of Baca, comfort and strengthen themselves in the blessing of their God and Father. Who can explain the fullness of that word, “blessed” when thus used of Him. And think not because the great truths of this beautiful Psalm are expressed in Jewish style, that their full spiritual bearing applies not to thee. God and His love — Christ and His sympathy — the Holy Ghost and His ministry — home and the way thither, are subjects for the heart, and not confined to any particular dispensation.
God alone is the strength of His people’s heart from first to last. For example, when the returning wanderer knows and counts upon his lather’s love, his heart will be in the way that takes him home. The road may be rough and dreary, and he may have many smitings of conscience for his past undutifulness, but the thought that his father’s house is at the far end of it, is strength for the way, whatever the difficulties may be. Already he sees the over flowings of his father’s heart, and the rough path is smoothed — the long way is shortened. The beautiful green lanes and flowery paths which lead in another direction have no attraction for him now. Once, alas! they had, but not now — they lead not to home, his heart is set on his father’s house.
This is the Christian’s shield — unwavering confidence, in spite of everything, in the unchangeable love of God his Father. The full assurance of heart that He changeth not is the invulnerable shield of the pilgrim. To question God’s love in the trial, is to drop his shield, and expose his heart to the fiery darts of the devil. Every circumstance may seem as if the Lord were chastening in anger, but faith rises above the circumstances, and affirms that it is all in perfect love. How often has the timid, though sincere, Christian, been so tempted to doubt the Father’s love in the trial, that all strength for the journey seemed gone. He has felt as if he could only sit down and weep in despair.
“Is this love?” whispers the arch-fiend, to the bereaved heart. What purpose could it serve to take that loved, useful, and needed one away? Who can fill his or her place? Earth never can, you know. Is this what you call love? Can you believe that this is love to you? And the poor, weakly, bed-ridden one, he will also be sure to tempt to impatience, and to hard thoughts of God. Such are the wicked suggestions—the poisoned arrows of the enemy; and which are sure to fly thick and fast into the unguarded soul, especially at a time when the heart is overwhelmed with sorrow, or sorely tried by repeated disappointment. Nothing but the shield of faith can quench such darts of unbelief. Nevertheless, faith will always vindicate God and His truth, however heavy or sweeping the stroke. It will calmly rest in the truth, that the Father’s love is the same—the same as when He gave His well-beloved Son to die on Calvary. Before such faith all enemies and temptations are powerless.
But sometimes, in trials of lesser weight, the Christian may be more off his guard, and the enemy more successful. His great object always is, to weaken the believer’s confidence in the kindness of God. The way to the Father’s house leads out of the world, and so it must always be a path of trial, disappointment, and difficulty. When dwelling in the house, as the psalmist says, we can only praise; but when on the way to it, we may have great conflict. Hence it is, that when we now realize, in the power of the Spirit, our oneness with Christ in the presence of God, we can only worship and adore; but when meeting the practical difficulties of life, we may have much to confess and pray for.
Take an example — a common case. The young Christian has scarcely entered on the path of obedience to the Lord, when He loses his situation. He may have filled it for years, and all went smoothly on, but his heart is now in the ways of God according to His word, and he cannot bend so easily to certain things formerly required, which he now sees have not the sanction of God’s word.
Everything becomes changed to walk and act according to the word tests all. So long as the believer walks according to traditional habits, the cross is avoided. He may not think that the word condemns anything he does, but when he has been enabled to lay aside tradition, and to be guided only by the word of God, he finds out the difference. Such strictness, almost everywhere, is felt by others to be an inconvenience, and very soon unbearable. “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” 2 Tim. 3:1212Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. (2 Timothy 3:12).
Such is often the form in which the cross has to be taken up at the present time. Nevertheless, it is a real cross, and one by which the enemy will seek to dishearten the young Christian. He may be reduced to straits, and everything may seem to go against him. His trials thicken, and all looks dark. He begins to question if he has taken the right path — if he has really had divine guidance. Even his nearest kindred may little understand his course, and reproach him with being righteous over much. Confidence in all, save in God Himself, is now gone. What a breaking down, and sweeping away of all earthly and fleshly resources!
Now, we may say, he enters the valley of Baca; it is the place, not only of trial, but of tears. He is brought into deep exercise of soul before God. Self is judged. This is the young Christiana valley of Baca. It is the exercise of soul, rather than the trial, that makes it a well — that digs the pools. He has now found out, that a desire to live to God’s glory, may turn the fairest scenes and the brightest prospects of earth into a vale of tears — a place of humiliation and sorrow. But if there be simple faith in God, the dreariest part of the desert may become a fruitful field, and where nothing but disappointment and distress were expected, the richest blessings may be found. But on the other hand, if he gets under the power of his circumstances, and is tempted to look to the world or the flesh as a resource, his tears will be yet more bitter, and more abundant. The trial, no doubt, is enough to test the strongest faith, and the bravest heart, especially if we have to wait long for the answer to our prayers. But our God will have us to confide in His love alone, and to learn what He is to us, however painful the process.
“Who passing through the valley of Baca, make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools” This is God’s way out of the world; hence the trial to nature. The great moral system of Satan in the world must be faced, and this is no easy matter. The strongest link that binds us to it, must be broken, the cord that is nearest to the heart may have to be cut asunder. Thus it is called the valley of tears. The path of many for a long way, if not all the way, is watered with tears. Scarcely has the joy of conversion been tasted, in many cases, when the pain of separation from the world in some of its tenderest associations must be experienced. And how often unfaithfulness in this respect, hinders the good work of God in the soul, and mars its sweetest joys! But the idol of the heart must be given up, and the heart unreservedly given to Christ. But now, the joy and the sorrow together break up the very fountains of the poor human heart, and every footstep is watered with tears. Thus all have a valley of Baca to pass through; it is the way to Zion. Even the most spiritual and devoted of the Lord’s people must have the exercises of the valley.
Take two examples from scripture: Paul’s thorn in the flesh, and the bereavement of the sisters at Bethany. 1. The thorn in the flesh was truly humbling to the great apostle. This is evident from what he says to the Galatians, “ And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not.” It was something that made him despicable as a preacher. And he thought, no doubt, that it would greatly binder his usefulness; but he had to learn that the great hindrance to usefulness is the flesh. Thrice he prayed that the thorn might be removed. “ And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelation, there was given unto me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.” 2 Cor. 12
What a solemn, weighty, terrible truth this is, for all the Lord’s servants! Weigh it well, Ο my soul, learn the badness of thy flesh — it is incorrigible! The flesh will make a bad use of God’s purest mercies. Paul might have boasted that he had been in the third heavens, and that no one had ever been there but himself. But the Lord, in great mercy to His dear servant, met the danger in humbling him. Doubtless, He could have met it otherwise, but this was the way of His love and His wisdom. Ο Lord, may this painful lesson be well weighed by all thy servants. The flesh, we see, in the best — in all, is only a hindrance in service. Oh! what need, my soul, to be daily judging the old nature, and to be daily growing in grace, by feeding on Christ’s fullness.
The valley of humiliation and sorrow became the place of blessing to the apostle: “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” When he heard these gracious words, he no longer prayed for the thorn to be taken away. Now he glories in that which had been so painful and humbling to him. “Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” Now he rests in the love that had ordered everything for him, and on the all-sufficiency of the Lord who was with him. In fine, he found the valley to be a well of rich blessing, rain from heaven filled the pools. When caught up to the third heavens, he found the Lord there; and now while in the depths he finds the same blessed One with him there. What nearness to — what intimacy with the Lord! He knows Him on the heights and in the depths. What experience — a man in Christ in the third heavens, Christ with a man in the place of nature’s weakness and sorrow! Nevertheless, Paul is in the valley of Baca, but He makes it a well, and showers from heaven fill the pools. Our blessing comes from that which has humbled us — emptied us, and taught us that difficulties and impossibilities are nothing to the Lord.
2. We turn now to the sisters in Bethany. They were much bowed down under the pressure of their circumstances. In their deep affliction they counted on the Lord’s love and sympathy; they send for Him, and say, “He whom thou lovest is sick.” But in place of answering their prayer according to the desires of their hearts, and with all speed, He seems rather to turn away from them, and go somewhere else. Such delays are a great trial to faith and patience. But He was teaching them to wait His time, and on Him alone. We cannot hurry Him. “ When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was. Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judea again.” The sisters were passing through deep waters, it was indeed a vale of tears; but
“His tears ere long shall hush that fear
For every heavy heart forever;
And we, who now His words can hear
Beyond the hills, beyond the river.
Know that as true a watch He kept
On those far heights, as at their side,
Feeling the tears the sisters wept,
Marking the hour the brother died.
No faintest sigh His heart can miss;
E’en now His feet are on the way,
With richest counter-weight of bliss
Heaped up for every hour’s delay.”
The Lord cannot change. Blessed, blessed truth for the sorrowing heart! But their feelings rose above their faith, and their hearts fell below their circumstances. Hence, they were disposed to blame the Lord for not coming when they sent for Him. Both Martha and Mary said, “Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother bad not died.” But greater things than healing the sick, were now filling His mind and the scene before Him. He could have said the word, as on other occasions, and Lazarus would have been healed; but, no; He acts “for the glory of God, that the Son of man might be glorified thereby.” And when the right time was come, He takes His place in the scene of death, in resurrection power and glory. Lazarus is dead — Israel is dead — man is dead — the sisters are bereaved and desolate. But the Lord is equal to all the need. The whole scene is filled with His glory. The bursting tomb, the rising Lazarus, radiate His glory as the Son of God. By that voice, “Lazarus, come forth,” the deep caverns of the grave are pierced, and the sleeping dust awakes. What a testimony to the unbelieving Jews! What a rebuke to the unbelief of Martha and Mary — to the unbelief of us all in the time of affliction! He bestows life, raises the dead, glorifies God, and mingles His tears with the sorrowing ones. The mighty power of God, and the tenderest human affections, are perfectly displayed in this wondrous scene. Oh! what a meeting of the whole need of the heart — what a filling up of the pools — what showers of blessing from above are provided for all pilgrims, in all ages, when traveling through all parts of this vale of tears.
“Ο blessed solace! ‘Tis a Father’s rod —
No rod of wrath — but of unchanging lore.
No stroke inflicted which He could have spared!
Infinite wisdom has with love combined
To make the blow accomplish — and no more —
Its salutary end. A Father’s rod!
The thought suppresses every falling tear —
Checks every murmur — mitigates each pang.
Unerring Parent! — Mourner! can you doubt
His faithfulness? Then look to Calvary!
Behold that bleeding, dying Lamb of God!
‘Twas love for thee that sent Him from His throne,
And nailed Him there! And dare we entertain
The thought, that He whose nature and whose name
Is love, — could send us one superfluous pang,
Impose a needless burden, or permit
The thorn to pierce He knew would pierce in vain!
That cross becomes the blessed guarantee
That all is needed! Mercy infinite
Prevents one drop from mingling in the cup
Which could have been withheld. Thou God of love!
Vouchsafe us grace to bow beneath thy rod;
And breathe — although it be through burning tears,
And half-choked utterance — ‘Thy will be done.’”
Wells of Baca