Catch Your Breath
Ps.84:1-7 “How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. Even a sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young – a place near your altar, Lord Almighty, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you. Blessed are those whose strength is in you. Whose hearts are set on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baka, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools. They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion.”
The context of this Psalm is in reference to the journey of spiritual pilgrims traveling to Jerusalem once a year for a festival. This arduous step-by-step process was exhausting. The path was laborious and the exhaustion from the intense heat was overpowering, yet these dedicated souls marched onward in hopes of experiencing God’s presence.
The word Baka in the Hebrew means weeping. This particular geographical location had trees that were similar to the Weeping Willow trees found in the USA. This was one of the few destinations along the way that had a water supply. Water was present but the timing of the autumn rains was very important in making this journey. Timing is critical for refreshing and revealing of God’s purposes.
Maybe you are like me, you have a vision, and then you put great effort into making that vision come to fulfillment through your own strength and many efforts. With this often-presumptuous enthusiasm, we try harder. This then opens the door to total exhaustion. When that happens, we become even more frustrated in our efforts and then blame God for our weariness. The exhaustion we feel is our own doing not God’s. He does not grow weary in anything. We relied on our own wisdom and strength which is totally inadequate for any God-given destination held.
“They make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools.” Please note that this place of weeping was not a new home they were moving to. It was a place that was intended to be very temporary. A place to regain strength for the journey ahead. A place to trade our strength for His strength.
Pay attention to the responsibility of the sojourners. “They make it a place of springs.” That means that making a deliberate effort to refresh and regain strength was paramount. The New Testament gives several references to when Jesus himself went away from the crowds to have his own private time with his Father. He needed refreshing just as we do, and we must follow his example. This needed refreshing is the opportunity to adjust the weight carried so we can finish the journey.
Years ago, I took a friend and his son moose hunting in Alaska. Two moose had been shot. The path between where the moose were shot and our camp was treacherous. For two full days we packed the harvested meat through the swamp and dense wooded area back to our camp to export home. It was one of the last trips in ferrying the meat when I learned a valuable lesson.
I was carrying one of the hind quarters, weighing probably 150 pounds, tied to my pack frame. It is difficult to get the pack on in the first place with that amount of weight and carrying the pack for a long distance was excruciatingly painful on my shoulders. The straps, though padded, pressed very hard into my shoulders and because of the weight, I trudged forward in a bent position in order to keep my balance.
At one place in my trek, I was going to just unhook the straps and let the pack fall to the ground. I could not take it anymore. I was done! I then noticed a fallen log and decided to see if I could lean back on it and or sit on it. I would let the log take the weight of my pack instead of abandoning the carrying of it. In my thoughts, I was imagining what it would feel like to not have the encumbrance on my shoulders and back anymore. I know that it would have felt like I was flying away if I cut that pack loose. I knew because I have done it before. The problem with doing this choice is picking the pack back up off of the ground and all the work of getting it secured on my back again. It is not a pleasant effort to watch I am sure.
I finally made a very good decision that day when I settled onto that fallen log instead of dropping my pack. I experienced the wonderful sensation of relief from the pressure of the straps and my back was very happy. I was able to rest, catch my breath, drink a bottle of water, and eat a yummy candy bar. After a small amount of time, I was refreshed. I then simply snugged the straps up and went on to camp with the treasured moose meat.
While we are trying to follow God, listen to his voice, and to be faithful, we can become exhausted. The weeping and sorrow along the journey is very real and will have a devastating impact if we do not pay attention to our exhaustion from the weight we have been carrying. If Moses needed a Tent of Meeting in the wilderness to hear God’s instruction and Jesus needed a retreat place away from the pressures, you need a Valley of Baka to catch your breath to keep going.
“They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion.” Our strength will only carry us so far. We must have supernatural strength to finish our journey. God puts the “super” into the natural. He promises to provide both blessings and protection in the journey. “For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless, Lord Almighty, blessed is the one who trusts in you.”
If you are exhausted from all your efforts, it might be time to plug the hole in the boat or find a seat on a log. You do not have to sink or collapse. It is time to let God’s supernatural strength become your strength. That can take place if we will stop to refresh. Don’t abandon the tasks at hand or the journey, just draw near to God and He will draw near to you.
You are loved!
The context of this Psalm is in reference to the journey of spiritual pilgrims traveling to Jerusalem once a year for a festival. This arduous step-by-step process was exhausting. The path was laborious and the exhaustion from the intense heat was overpowering, yet these dedicated souls marched onward in hopes of experiencing God’s presence.
The word Baka in the Hebrew means weeping. This particular geographical location had trees that were similar to the Weeping Willow trees found in the USA. This was one of the few destinations along the way that had a water supply. Water was present but the timing of the autumn rains was very important in making this journey. Timing is critical for refreshing and revealing of God’s purposes.
Maybe you are like me, you have a vision, and then you put great effort into making that vision come to fulfillment through your own strength and many efforts. With this often-presumptuous enthusiasm, we try harder. This then opens the door to total exhaustion. When that happens, we become even more frustrated in our efforts and then blame God for our weariness. The exhaustion we feel is our own doing not God’s. He does not grow weary in anything. We relied on our own wisdom and strength which is totally inadequate for any God-given destination held.
“They make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools.” Please note that this place of weeping was not a new home they were moving to. It was a place that was intended to be very temporary. A place to regain strength for the journey ahead. A place to trade our strength for His strength.
Pay attention to the responsibility of the sojourners. “They make it a place of springs.” That means that making a deliberate effort to refresh and regain strength was paramount. The New Testament gives several references to when Jesus himself went away from the crowds to have his own private time with his Father. He needed refreshing just as we do, and we must follow his example. This needed refreshing is the opportunity to adjust the weight carried so we can finish the journey.
Years ago, I took a friend and his son moose hunting in Alaska. Two moose had been shot. The path between where the moose were shot and our camp was treacherous. For two full days we packed the harvested meat through the swamp and dense wooded area back to our camp to export home. It was one of the last trips in ferrying the meat when I learned a valuable lesson.
I was carrying one of the hind quarters, weighing probably 150 pounds, tied to my pack frame. It is difficult to get the pack on in the first place with that amount of weight and carrying the pack for a long distance was excruciatingly painful on my shoulders. The straps, though padded, pressed very hard into my shoulders and because of the weight, I trudged forward in a bent position in order to keep my balance.
At one place in my trek, I was going to just unhook the straps and let the pack fall to the ground. I could not take it anymore. I was done! I then noticed a fallen log and decided to see if I could lean back on it and or sit on it. I would let the log take the weight of my pack instead of abandoning the carrying of it. In my thoughts, I was imagining what it would feel like to not have the encumbrance on my shoulders and back anymore. I know that it would have felt like I was flying away if I cut that pack loose. I knew because I have done it before. The problem with doing this choice is picking the pack back up off of the ground and all the work of getting it secured on my back again. It is not a pleasant effort to watch I am sure.
I finally made a very good decision that day when I settled onto that fallen log instead of dropping my pack. I experienced the wonderful sensation of relief from the pressure of the straps and my back was very happy. I was able to rest, catch my breath, drink a bottle of water, and eat a yummy candy bar. After a small amount of time, I was refreshed. I then simply snugged the straps up and went on to camp with the treasured moose meat.
While we are trying to follow God, listen to his voice, and to be faithful, we can become exhausted. The weeping and sorrow along the journey is very real and will have a devastating impact if we do not pay attention to our exhaustion from the weight we have been carrying. If Moses needed a Tent of Meeting in the wilderness to hear God’s instruction and Jesus needed a retreat place away from the pressures, you need a Valley of Baka to catch your breath to keep going.
“They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion.” Our strength will only carry us so far. We must have supernatural strength to finish our journey. God puts the “super” into the natural. He promises to provide both blessings and protection in the journey. “For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless, Lord Almighty, blessed is the one who trusts in you.”
If you are exhausted from all your efforts, it might be time to plug the hole in the boat or find a seat on a log. You do not have to sink or collapse. It is time to let God’s supernatural strength become your strength. That can take place if we will stop to refresh. Don’t abandon the tasks at hand or the journey, just draw near to God and He will draw near to you.
You are loved!
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