Valleys and Mountains
Psalm 23:4 Though I walk through the darkest valley, I will not fear, for You are with me. . . .
Psalm 65:13 The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered with grain; they shout for joy, they also sing.
Psalm 121:1-2 I will lift up my eyes to the hills–from whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.
Isaiah 22:5 For it is a day of trouble and treading down and perplexity by the Lord God of hosts in the Valley of Vision–breaking down the walls and of crying to the mountain.
Isaiah 54:10 “. . . For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed but My kindness shall not depart from you, nor shall My covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord, who has mercy on you.
Joel 3:17-18 “So you shall know that I am the Lord your God, dwelling in Zion My holy mountain, then Jerusalem shall be holy, and no aliens shall ever pass through her again.” And it shall come to pass in that day that the mountains shall drip with new wine, the hills shall flow with milk, and the brooks of Judah shall be flooded with water; a fountain shall flow from the house of the Lord and water the Valley of Acacias
I have never understood well when people state they are in a valley vs a mountain. I think the reason I don’t understand this is probably because I grew up in New England and loved the valleys formed by the different surrounding mountains, and thought they held equal beauty to the mountains. I still do. I also enjoyed hiking mountains for a day trip. It was always pleasurable to see the different flowers, trees, and the way the fauna would become less and less the higher I climbed, and the peaks and distances were easier to see and appreciate once you climbed above the tree line.
The valleys held their own kind of beauty, lush wild flowers or pretty weeds—it didn’t much matter the cows, horses, goats, and occasional sheep appreciated them. And they were enjoyable to watch by themselves—content to graze their fields, much and get their fill, no worries for them. They had complete confidence in their surroundings and made one feel the peace and beauty, the peace that surpasses all understanding.
So on a mountain top, I could look down at the valleys, the flowers, the trees and appreciate the peacefulness; while in the valley I could look up and see the size, the immovability, the beauty God had placed there, so close to the sky, the first areas to receive the snow while in the valleys it was still warm.
That’s the way I felt when I was in the mountains of VT or NH. Such beauty, such majesty He had created. I loved it—still do. For me there is such peaceful beauty there.
I also had the privilege of living in Germany for several years, with our last duty place Garmisch, Germany. Although we lived about 20 miles north of Garmisch, our living room windows looked out over the mountain ranges, called the Alps. It was awesome. I thanked God several times a day to see this beauty. I was fairly sure, this was the last of creating earth, so He shook off the extra material and the Alps were formed. This was such a wonderful area to be outside and wander the trails, up mountains, or staying in lower areas, the valley, or just within our neighborhood there was a moor, where several thousand years ago, it was one of the paths the Romans took to traverse through Germany and into France and so forth. Many different Roman artifacts had been found during years before we lived there; but I could imagine a bunch of red Roman clad men wearing their gold epaulets and moving with horses, some carts, and some walking cutting through the area.
So, again, I think when the comments of mountains are made, it means someone is climbing out of a predicament, and having a tough time about something or a few things. Because the valleys I’ve witnessed always look like fertile farm lands with grazing critters, flowers, fields busy growing hay for winter, or being planted then harvested for food, and although the farmers and families work hard, it seems like a peaceful scene to me.
“The mountain is thought to contain divine inspiration, and it is the focus of pilgrimages of transcendence and spiritual elevation. It symbolizes constancy, permanence, motionlessness, and it peak spiritually signifies the state of absolute consciousness.” umrich.edu/spiritual.html
Mountains are not just beautiful. They supply food for animals, plants and trees, and water as run off, They cover 22% of the earth’s land mass. That is impressive. So, as much as I appreciate the beauty, there is a wonderful purpose God created for them.
Now I live at the ocean. I must say, I still get a feeling of thankfulness coming over the high bridge on 210 and seeing the intercoastal and then the ocean sprawled out before me most days. True confessions, my mind may often be off traipsing about at times when I make the trek, so it’s not daily seeing it that I send Him my thanks, but I know I am blessed to live here, and in fact all the places I have been blessed to live; with all the experiences I have had in my life.
Seeing His creative beauty in many areas, then learning different cultures a little bit over the years, and being blessed with wonderful friends and family, I want to brag about the riches He has brought. Thank You, my LORD for all You have given and done for me and ‘mybellaviews.’
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