After the weekend trip, I asked M which he liked better. Was it the valleys (Lauterbrunnen) or mountaintops (Jungfrau)? Personally, I felt the valleys were way more beautiful- it was warmer, the vegetation more luscious and colourful, the majestic waterfalls... Up on the mountains, there is less oxygen, everything is white and covered in snow.
It made me think of the valleys of life, how sometimes, it's only when we hit rockbottom that we see God and draw near to Him. The beauty of His presence there abounds. I've been reading this book "the promise is His presence- why God is always enough" by Glenna Marshall. An excerpt that really sums up what valleys mean for us...
"Was God good in allowing Israel to circle the wilderness for four decades? How was His purpose both sovereign and good when He closed the door pf the promised land to an entire generation? Though their disbelief came with long term repercussions, God was still good to them, and He demonstrated this in many ways. In the desert of discipline, Israel harvested the fruit of His regular prescence: their clothes never wore out, their shoes withstood four decades of walking, and they always had the food they needed. During the anguish of waiting, God was teaching them to trust Him. There was reason for them to praise Him in the wilderness- for His preservation, His provision, His presence... Every painful piece of our lives on earth is an opportunity for us to love Him and be loved by Him- to know He is with us and to enjoy His nearness even in sorrow."
No comments:
Post a Comment