“But the land that you are going over to possess is a
land of hills and valleys, which drinks water by the rain from heaven,
a land
that the Lord your God cares for. The eyes of the Lord your God are
always upon
it, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year”
(Deuteronomy
11:11-12). The land the Israelites entered was one abundantly blessed
by God. Whether
one looked to the hills or valleys, God’s care was clear. It
was understood in
the fertile land, from which they would reap bountiful harvests. It was
recognized
in the protection God would offer from their enemies. As long as they
remained
faithful to God, He would always be with them, to provide and care for
them.
The
time the Israelites spent in this land, though,
would not always be easy. They had allowed idolatrous nations to remain
among
them. These nations would be a snare to Israel,
seeking to turn them away
from God. Their lives would find hills and valleys, good times as well
as bad,
trials with the blessings. If only they had remembered that God was
with them through
it all! By forsaking God, they abandoned their source of blessings.
They would
one day find themselves in a foreign land, taken captive because of
their sins.
Not all of life is filled with “mountain top”
experiences, but neither is it always lived in the valley. We also have
highs
and lows in our lives, good times and bad, hills and valleys. We need
to
remember God is with us through it all. He is a constant source of
strength and
blessing for our lives. If we seek Him and His will, He will provide
for us. Paul
reflected this when he wrote, “I can do all things through
him who strengthens
me” (Philippians 4:13). Peter had this confidence;
“casting all your anxieties
on him, because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).
For Israel,
living in a land of hills and valleys, God would help them. If they
followed
Him, in good times and bad, His strength would never fail them. For us
as
Christians, we can be victorious in the highs and lows of life. If we
keep our
lives focused on Him who loved us and offered Himself for us, He will
never
fail us. May we remember, while on the peaks of life, it is our loving
heavenly
Father who provides every good and perfect gift (James 1:17). May we
also
realize, even in the depths of seeming despair, God will provide the
strength
to see us through (Romans 8:35-38).
