The Valley of Trouble Becomes A Door of Hope

Hosea 2:14-16
14 "Therefore I am now going to allure her;
I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her.
15 There I will give her back her vineyards,
and will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope.
There she will sing as in the days of her youth,
as in the day she came up out of Egypt.
16 "In that day," declares the LORD,
"you will call me 'my husband'; you will no longer call me 'my master.

Isaiah 65:10
10 The plain of Sharon will again be filled with flocks
for my people who have searched for me,
and the valley of Achor will be a place to pasture herds.

The Valley of Achor was a place that meant trouble. The Valley of Achor, along with the plain of Sharon had once been a place filled with cattle and flocks of sheep. These were places of prosperity and peace. So what happened?

I never understood the fickleness of the Israelites. How could they see the miracles and hear the stories of God’s goodness and deliverance over and over again and then be found wandering and wasting again in disobedience and hopelessness. Being raised in a fairly committed Christian home and then raising my family in the church, I could not relate to those who struggled with staying on the straight and narrow. Then it happened . . . suddenly and swiftly, I fell in every way. I failed on every level. All of my self righteousness was sucked out of me, like an abrupt puncture, a gaping hole in an aircraft at 40,000 feet in the air, the seat in which I was sitting, resting comfortably in was now dropping to the ground with me in it and my seat belt wrapped tightly around me. How did it happen? In slow motion, tumbling to the ground, my mind, will and emotions were locked down. My spirit shut off by the crash landing breaking every bone and inflicting fatal damage of every organ. My heart laying crushed and bruised next to my dead body. A life spent on Him now lying in a Valley of dried bones.

How does one recover from such decimation, devastation, desolation, and destruction? By deliverance. . . rescue, freedom, release through the mighty hand of God. Not by might, not be power but by His spirit comes escape from all of the guilt and shame. His grace brings the liberation from broken heartedness and relief from the burden of failure.

I feel the Breathe of Life. I see His throne. He calls to me. I cannot approach. I cannot be hurt more. I cannot move. I begin to feel His heart as he scoops me up in His arms and carries me to His throne of grace. I have never been here before, especially in this terrible broken condition. His breath revives me and His hands touch my mind and I remember my youth. It flashes before me, not as I remember but as he remembers me. He knew me. He loved me. He loves me. He shows me a door of hope. I have just enough strength to turn my head, open my eyes and see where he is pointing. It’s exhausting to look but my heart is stirred. I rest fully in his arms with my head buried in His chest and my eyes shut tight again. I feel His heart beating and mine begins to beat in rhythm with His. I begin to stir, strength surging into my dead body. His resurrection power begins restoring me. “Not yet”, He says softly and powerfully. “Stay here and rest. I am your Husband.”

I smell His fragrance. It is powerful, alluring and sweet just like the yellow rose. I feel the warmth of His presence, but I am still too weak. I relax and lean into Him. I will stay here in this place. I know when I am stronger I will see that through Him, my Valley of Trouble has become a door of hope.