Lesson 164:Through the Valley

  
Pastor J. W. Binion
Pvt. Edward F. Arthur Camp 1783 SCV
5th Ky. Infantry CSA

My mind has been filled with thoughts of our reenacting and SCV family these past two or three weeks. Many of our compatriots have experience sorrow and anxiety recently and several have been facing medical challenges. All these things have given me concern and compassion over the folks who have been experiencing these feelings. Some have been attacked by attitudes of “I could have/should have done more” or “I shouldn’t have done this or that.” Worry and guilt have invaded many minds.

I know that these thoughts are all too human and common, but – these thoughts/feelings are also extremely harmful. They are deadly, if not dealt with immediately. So many of us keep these ideas bottled up inside when we really need to seek out a brother/sister who will listen, pray, and allow us to express our feelings without judging us. There are times when we don’t feel as if there is anyone we can trust – that is not the case; you have your local pastor and/or your 5th KY chaplain. I want to address the feelings of loss, worry, confusion for a few minutes. Although there are numerous passages of scripture that will lead toward an understanding of how to avoid these feelings, I don’t believe any quite express what I am trying to say better than the following:

PSALM 23

A Psalm of David.

1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
3 He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For you are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD
Forever.

I am not expressing a desire for us to be “plastic Christians” – those individuals who try to act like there are no trials, no problems, no disappointments and no valleys to experience when you become a Christian. Those people are fooling themselves and living in a fantasy world. The prosperity preachers would have you believe that if you accept Jesus and give them your money that you will never experience anything except material abundant living – they are lying to you. Jesus did not preach that nor did He even imply it. What Jesus taught, what the scriptures teach, is that when we place our complete trust in The Lord (Hebrew: YAHWEH) we will have a shepherd to guide us through times of trial and danger. The Hebrew name for God literally means - the God who is, the God who was, and the God who will always be. Digest that last sentence for a minute. Our God, YAHWEH, has been and always will be present in the world. He is the ultimate protection from storm and trial.

Life will certainly present situations in which you will wonder if God has left you high and dry. There will be times when you feel alone, abandoned, and desperate. But, my dear friends, there is a “bridge over troubled waters”, a “green pasture” in which to lie, a calm port in the storm. There is a way to overcome the lows, the potholes, and the desperation.

When you let God be in control you won’t have to wander 40 years in the desert – you can complete the journey in 11 days (the way the Hebrew people should have done.) When you allow God to take charge of your life and the circumstances in which you find yourself, you won’t have to walk in circles and experience the feelings of loneliness and depression. You must make the choice – God will not force you, He won’t make you follow Him or accept His Lordship.

Obey God’s leading. Like sheep we are not smart enough to avoid trouble. As sheep, we need a shepherd to keep us on the right path and avoid the wolves. Accept the fact that God will lead us through the valley of desperation and depression IF we follow HIM.

Learn to be sensitive to God’s presence. The more you surrender the more you will see Him; the more humble you become, the more you hear Him. Think about this – our Lord is closer to us when we are in the valleys than when we are on the mountain tops. His closeness is not because He leaves us when we are on the mountain tops; it is because we forget to lean on Him when things are going well. When we going through the valleys we might want to remember this adage – “it is not the length of the trip but the one with whom you travel that makes the journey.” David tells us that even when we are in the valley Yahweh is with us. Only God’s mercy, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit will get us through the valleys.

If Yahweh can bring life to “d'em dry bones”, He can bring you through any thing life throws at you. Jesus raised Lazarus from a 4 day death to prove the power of God over the worse possible condition of life. In Revelation we are told that we will be made new by the power of the Son of God. My beloved Confederates, why live life in misery, heartache, or negative thoughts?

Put your pride aside, let the LORD ALMIGHTY, the KING OF KINGS, the Great I AM be in control of your life; put your trust in HIM; follow HIS lead. Quit trying to climb the mountain alone, let God be in command. Follow HIM. In other words – FULLY RELY ON GOD (F.R.O.G.)

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.

Your obedient servant and humble chaplain Pastor J. W. Binion; Pvt. Edward F. Arthur Camp 1783 SCV and 5th KY Inf. CSA chaplain5thky@yahoo.com or call 606-304-7766