Friday, March 14, 2008

The Valley of Baca - or The Valley of Adversity and Weeping

I am in a hurry this morning. I want to get this post done before lunch, but it's not going to happen. This is Friday. (See you are not reading this until Monday- as usual, Dorinda is a little late. ha!)


My Daniel Fast Journal scripture today (Friday) is from Psalm 84:11. I read the whole chapter and just really received an encouragement from my Savior today.


My sweet and wonderful husband preached a sermon one time on the the Valley of Baca mentioned in verse 6. He said the word Baca is adversity. Hmmmmmm....
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That is as far as I got Friday before the demands of the day caught up with me and I had to abandon my blogging. But, I have been pondering these thoughts all weekend. My heart is full and my mind is going in a thousand different directions this morning. I am not sure even where I should start!

I think, I know, that someone is going to read this post that really needs to hear what God is trying to speak to them. I pray the anointing of Joshua as you read. Joshua was told he would be given every where he set his foot. I pray every where I have typed a stroke on my computer would be battle ground taken back from the enemy of our souls.

Psalm 84. That is where I will start. Please read it.
1 How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD Almighty! 2 My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD ; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. 3 Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young- a place near your altar, O LORD Almighty, my King and my God. 4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you. Selah 5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage. 6 As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools. 7 They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion. 8 Hear my prayer, O LORD God Almighty; listen to me, O God of Jacob. Selah 9 Look upon our shield, O God; look with favor on your anointed one. 10 Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. 11 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. 12 O LORD Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you.

Baca-a word, a place. The Valley of Baca is described by Holman's Bible dictionary as-

Hebrew - Baca BACA
(bay' cuh) Place name meaning, “Balsam tree” or “weeping.” A valley in
Psalms 84:6 which reflects a poetic play on words describing a person forced to go through a time of weeping who found God turned tears into a well, providing water.

Some of you are in a time of weeping, a time of adversity. Maybe your pain is so private that no one knows you are hurting. Maybe you feel trapped. Our adversities may have different situations, different hurts, different events, but it is very much so the same valley.

The literal Valley of Baca is thousands of miles away in a land that most of us have never traveled to. The spiritual Valley of Baca is very familiar. We all know the road and have probably all been down it many times.

The Valley of Baca. I picture a desolate place. A place that sane people avoid at all costs. It is dry and barren. Isolated. The heat of the valley drains the weary travelers quickly. Hope is waning and despair quietly takes its place.

I went through the Valley of Baca. As I entered, I was afraid. But I knew that I had to pass through the Valley, because on the other side was what I needed, what I had been promised. I set my heart on my journey. My strength begin to fail me. Hope was disappearing. It wasn't supposed to be like this! I just wanted to get to the other side - to my promise. But, it seemed that each step I took, added ten more to my journey's end! How would I make it! I was dry. I was thirsty! My soul was parched! There seemed no end in sight. I became full of despair. Was this what the end would be like? Would I die in this condition? Where had my strength gone?

In utter desperation I cried out to God- my Redeemer, my Savior! I weeped before my God. My tears mirrored the agony of my heart. Once again, I set my heart on my journey. He would be my strength. He would sustain me! He provided me with water for my soul. I refreshed myself in Him. My circumstance didn't change. It wouldn't. This was Baca, the place of adversity where weeping and anguish would accompany me until I reached the end of my pilgrimage. But God! He was there! He held me when I cried. He wiped the tears. He comforted me when I was bruised. He replaced despair with His Presence.

I still couldn't see the end of the Valley of Baca, but He was my strength. If I could just trust in Him, all would be well. Each time I felt I couldn't go on and was thirsting to death, He provided nourishment from the springs. He watered my soul from His cup.

It seemed as if an eternity passed. I reached the end of the Valley of Baca. I was not defeated! I was stronger! I had learned lessons of wisdom and strength. It wasn't the Valley of the Shadow of Death- it was Baca. The Valley of Adversity, the valley of weeping.

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There is a God who sees you in your hurt, your frustration, and your pain. He knows what you are going through. He longs for you to call upon His Name and seek His face with all of your heart. Don't listen to the lies of the one who despises you. Listen to the Creator's gentle whisper of love for you. Find your strength in Him. Don't turn from the Valley of Baca, because your promise is on the other side. Set your heart on your pilgrimage, find your strength in Him and be blessed!

I know this is different today but I just wanted to be obedient. My friend, you are a treasure. Stay steadfast and He will not abandon you. Meditate on His Word and His goodness. Look to Him. As always, I pray you:

Seek His Face. Pursue an intimate relationship with the Savior.

Know His Truth. Gain ultimate reality about His Kingdom.

Love His Word. Desire passionate revelation of His Nature.

Live His Will. Submit daily to His Purpose

Have a blessed and wonderful day as you pursue the Lover of your soul.

dorinda

p.s. If you need help or encouragement through the Valley of Baca, please leave your email address and I will be glad to contact you and pray with you.

26 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much, I really needed that!

Anonymous said...

I needed that today!
Love ya!
Shannon

Unknown said...

Sometimes it is BIG BACA, seemingly undending....thank you for your beautiful posts.

Anonymous said...

What you wrote in March, God revealed to me in October....The valley seems long but I don't want to stop and "die", I know the promise land is at the end.....keep on walking....God bless you richly today.

Anonymous said...

I am in this plae BACA and it seems so horrible, lonely , dark, and dead, i can barely pray sometimes and i had many friends and even a finacee before i entered this place and now it seems god has stripped me of people i thought i needed, its a hard place and i pray i can survive! thanks for this it really helped my spirit!

Anonymous said...

This desert valley has lasted 10 years this month. People see what is on the outside but have no idea what is on the inside. "A promise deferred makes the heart sick" Imagine a decade alone in a place you cant escape where you know no one who has even come close to what you have experienced. So you keep it to yourself because even if you tried to explain, others would nod and think they understand-- but you know they cant. My strength is gone and the only hope is getting to Zion. Nothing else.

Treasure Seeker said...

To Andrea:
I just read your comment from October. I am sorry I didn't see it sooner.

I pray you are doing well and finding God's peace in the midst of your struggle.

Please Please email me if you need to talk or need someone to pray with you.

email dorindablannwm at yahoo . com
(No spaces)

blessings
dorinda

Treasure Seeker said...

To Anonymous who posted on December 16:

I am praying for you .

I do not know what you are going thru- but I know the One who does.

The Joy of the Lord is our strength. I pray you find that place in HIM that gives you the deepest desires of your heart.

I pray you also know that we view time in a finite way - while God's view is infinite.

He sees your time frame as a whole - the beginning and the end all together. We, on the other hand see each second and day individually. God wants us to put our whole trust in HIM that He knows the final outcome and He is in control of everything. God loves you more than you can ever imagine. His desire is for you to be content in whatever place in life He has placed you.

I pray you see His Truth and His Light in your situation. The enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy, but Christ came to give you life and life more abundantly.

If you need to email me - please do so at dorindablannwm at yahoo . com (no spaces).

I am praying for you
dorinda

Brie said...

Thank you so much for the post on the Valley of Baca. I was journaling and closing out the year 2008 in my mind and wanted to include that verse from Psalms. I googled "valley of Baca" and came upon your blog. Thank you!

Unknown said...

I have stored up Gods word in the midst of my heart (prov 4) and pray His word into my life and circumstances daily. When I come into a place of gut-wrenching sadness or uncertainty or bereavement I have learnt to dig very deep into my heart and to begin to speak the Word that is stored up there. This word which is watered by the Holy Spirit begins to strengthen me and to lead me to a place of peace and acceptance.

Unknown said...

This is such a good article, great job! Have you ever heard of B.A.C.A (Bikers Against Child Abuse) even though the meaning is not the same I could say that a child goes though such struggle after being abused that it becomes in a matter a tangible situation, such a physical place. A child at times needs an organization like B.A.C.A to find the courage and support to make it through the most dramatic and violent time/s in their lives and of course members such as myself that are grounded in the Word to find healing in their lives. Thanks for the article!

Bebe said...

I am in the Valley of Baca today. There seems to be no end in sight to my pain. I feel that I cannot go on in this prison. I know the Lord is good. I know that he is removing things from my life so I can step into my eternal destiny. I have not surrendered well most recently. Please pray for me.... Your blog was a blessing and very timely.

Randy Furco said...

Wow very good article. I just jumped on the computer to google "valley of baca" and I came across this. Very anointed article. Thanks for your obedience.

Count It All Joy Inspirational Products said...

Someone forwarded your blog post to me. I can certainly identified with that place. I have been their many times before, but God has always brought me through with a mighty hand.Please view my inspirational post on transforming pain into purpose at oilofjoy.wordpress.com

Ray said...

Thank you Dorinda for this very timely post;although it's more than three years old, it has been very inspirational in given me direction and clarity in my Valley of Baca experience today. I pray that you will continue to allow the Lord to use you mightily to help empower the women of God. Be Bless!

Anonymous said...

Some Muslims believe that the valley of Baca is in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. They say the word "Baca" is actually "Mecca". They are accusing Christians of the Middle East of altering God's word by translating the word Baca to "weeping" (pronounced Bocaa in Arabic). What do you tell them?

EC said...

Hi Dorinda - thank you so much. I am just seeing this, but it is my time to see it as I pass thru the valley of Baca - it's the darkest it's ever been. I know this is not home, I am only passing thru to the other side where the grass is green, to a wealthy place. It's very dark, very scary, but I have to trust that God is in the dark with me. I will stay in the presence of the Lord where I find strength. God bless you.

NAY said...

Pease be with all of you. I am praying for our Lord to accept your prayers, forgive your sins, and reward you with all what is good in this world and when we meet Him. I am a Muslim and would like to know according to non Muslim, what is the valley of Bacca ( the valley of weeping)and where is it located? It should be a valley, hot, with no water, have mountains (the verse They go from strength to strength also has been translated as they go from mountain to mountain, where believers should be weeping while going between these two mountains), has springs, a holy temple of God, where a prayer there equals many prayers in any other place in the world…etc. I would love to know where is Bacca according to you, as you know Muslims believe it is Mecca ( Bacca = Bakka is just different names of the same place). I would love to do my own research about Bacca and will appreciate your help in this regard, please tell me how do you know where Bacca is and what is your proofs? Many Thanks

Anonymous said...

thank you for this...

Anonymous said...

Thank you so very, very much. God led me to this blog tonight.

C.J. Baca said...

I found this page and was so thankful to have read it! I truly feel blessed that "Baca" is my last name and if you knew me, my whole life has been a journey of trials. Thank you for sharing what God has revealed to you and searching the scriptures for true meaning! Please pray for me, because as I said earlier, I' m still going through trials..well, at least I know I' m still a child of God because how else would God mold me to His perfection.
Blessings to you,
C. Baca

Anonymous said...

Hey there, listen, I do not know the details of your life but can say that I do understand your pain in the valley. I have been in baca for 6 years now up till this day. This past pilgremigehas been full of every kind of pain and suffering under every subject matter that job went through, these include... Experiencing death, financial destruction, serious health issues, humility, major depression, and even hunger.
I also experienced all these in various degrees several times over and over except death, it only came to my family once. After all is said and done, I am still focused on one thing and that is to get to my lords house. I will also say that I will continue to praise God and give thanks to Him in every cecum stance. For He alone is worthy.

Anonymous said...

That was amazing! Going through so much after death of my husband. That really ministered to me. Scrappygrammy@att.net

Paula said...

Dorinda, thank you so much for sharing about this passage and how it relates to your journey! I was wondering why God led me to read this verse, but after reading this blog I see that He clearly has a purpose for me in my pain. I could relate to every word you shared and even the particular verses you highlighted! Again, thank you so much for being obedient!:-)

Anonymous said...

I have gone through a very difficult week... And I teach at a Christian school whose acronym is BACA. So this blog really, really spoke to me in a personal way. Thank you for sharing. God is still using it to encourage others.

Anonymous said...

This has been a very difficult week for my family... And I teach at a Christian school whose acronym is BACA, so this post was up close & personal to me. Such a blessing! Thank you for sharing this!