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When,
if ever, have you felt slain in the “Valley of Decision”? When
have you felt secure in the Lord’s stronghold? What would get you
out of the valley into the stronghold? (Serendipity Bible 10th
Anniversary Edition, page 1264.)
I
have written earlier that my greatest vulnerability is the desire to
be liked and loved by others. Nothing can send me further into the
valley of dejection than a sense that my best efforts are actively
shunned, demeaned, and misconstrued by others. An early example is
during the Vietnam War when out of patriotism I opposed the war.
Predictably, when I decided to act against the war by going to
prison, there were those who got in my face and denounced me
vehemently for cowardice and treason. Most recently I felt led to
cultivate a friendship that was deeply misconstrued by members of my
friend’s family.
Ironically,
it can be during these periods within the valley of dejection that
God telegraphs to me the assurance of his presence and strength. He
encourages me to go forward in strength and with the assurance that
he is my sustainer. I need not fear, but instead cast my eyes upon
Jesus. The blessing of God must of necessity mean more to me than
the fickle approval of men. With this conviction I move from the
valley of dejection into God’s stronghold re-energized and
re-fortified by faith and by heavenly chords sounding from great yet imminent distances.
Father,
help us remember that you’ve given us every moment of this
existence on earth. We want it to be meaningful. We want it to be
significant. We want our lives to be good, not as measured by the
standards of a constantly changing society, but excellent as measured
by your Word, as expressed to us by our Savior, Jesus Christ, who not
only taught with words but with deeds. He taught us what it means to
love, and continues to teach us through your grace by the Holy
Spirit. We want to live in love, in a spirit of humility, not in
arrogance or superiority. We want to reach out to others in the name
of Christ. More and more, help us be like our Savior. In his name we
pray. Amen. (NIV Lessons from Life Bible: Personal Reflections
with Jimmy Carter, page 1407).
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