The God of the Valley

TITLE: The God of the Valley
AUTHOR: Os Hillman

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T G I F
Today God Is First
by Os Hillman

The God of the Valley

The man of God came up and told the king of Israel,
"This is what the Lord says: 'Because the Arameans
think the Lord is a god of the hills and not a god of
the valleys, I will deliver this vast army into your
hands, and you will know that I am the Lord'."
1 Kings 20:28

Whenever we stand on the mountain, we are able to see
clearly. It is the best vantage point to see what
lies ahead. Wouldn't it be great to live on the
mountain all the time in order to anticipate what is
ahead? God allows us to experience the mountaintop at
times. Joseph's first mountaintop experience was as a
young man. He had the favor of his father, Jacob. He
was given a fine coat and even had a dream about his
future. As a young man, Joseph had a sense of destiny
about his life. God often gives us a picture of our
future so that we will remember this picture when we
are being tested to trust Him in the valley. This
picture usually does not reveal how God intends to
bring about the visions for our life.

However, none of us really derive the character
qualities God desires for our lives while we are on
the mountain. It is in the valley where the fruit is
planted and harvested. It cannot grow on the
mountain; it must grow in the valley. God is a God of
the mountain, but he is even more a God of the
valley. In the valley, it is more difficult to see
ahead; the clouds often cover the valley and limit
our sight. Joseph was thrust into a deep valley that
left him wondering if the God of his father had
forsaken him. Jesus hoped that He might be able to
avoid the valley that caused Him to sweat blood.
There is a valley that each of us must enter, usually
unwillingly, in order to experience the God of the
valley-and to experience His faithfulness in the
valley. Once we have spent time in this valley, we
come out with something we would have never gained if
we had not entered it. The valley brings much fruit
into our lives so that we might plant seeds into the
lives of others. God does not waste valley
experiences. If we are faithful in the valley, we
will enter a new dimension with God that we never
thought possible. There is a harvest of wisdom and
virtue that can only be grown in the valley.

Has God brought you into the valley? Know that the
valley is a place of fruitfulness; it is a place of
testing. It is where God brings what you know in your
head into your heart. The only value of knowledge is
when it becomes part of your heart. Look for God in
the valley today.