The second part of Hosea 2:15: "I will...transform the Valley of Trouble into a gateway of hope." Only our God is truly capable of a transformation such as this - where good and hope overwhelm and extinguish our troubles. After He has led us to the desert and taught us to rely on Him, after He ha delivered us and returned the bountiful vineyards, the Lord transforms. The areas in life in which we are troubled, distraught and confused, the Lord transforms. I can't even wrap my mind around how awesome that is. In His timing, in the right place in this journey, the Lord will transform. He will revolutionize, dramatically alter, and reshape our Valleys of Trouble. One of my favorite quotes from Hurnard's Hinds' Feet on High Places says: "Every circumstance in life, no matter how crooked or distorted and ugly it appears to be, if it is reacted to in love and forgiveness and obedience to your will, can be transformed" [Hurnard, 230]. The Lord has prepared us for this moment of transformation. While He transforms us throughout this journey, we are able to take part and share in the transformations around us. He teaches us and beckons us to react to twisted circumstances, to our valleys of trouble and sources of hurt through love, forgiveness, and the other fruits of the Spirit - to react in accordance to His will. Hurnard continues, "Therefore, I begin to think, my Lord, you purposely allow us to be brought into contact with the bad and the evil things that you want changed. Perhaps that is the very reason why we are here in this world, where sin and sorrow and suffering and evil abound, so that we may let you teach us to react to them, that out of them we can create lovely qualities to live forever. That is the only really satisfactory way of dealing with evil, not simply binding it so that it cannot work harm , but whenever possible overcoming it with good" [Hurnard, 230-31]. Seeing something transformed, seeing good conquer evil is what this very part of the journey refers to.
As I was driving to work this past weekend, this scripture and the journey of Hosea 2 raced through my mind. In that moment, God revealed even more to me - throughout the entirety of this passage, it is the Lord that speaks of His plans for Israel (or for us). God is narrating, revealing and constructing the journey. WHen you read the verses, I encourage you to really dwell on that - it is God who is in control of the journey. God reveals the next season, and God's journey for us is complete, entirely perfect. I wonder what Israel is thinking, feeling and going through in each season. As humans, in the very same place, we are never sure where God is leading until He reveals it. As much as we try to plan ahead and figure out the next move, Hosea 2 surely puts it into perspective. Our journey, our seasons are known fully by God, only revealed to us when He sees fit. may we find rest in that - the Lord is leading. Through deserts, through vineyards, through miraculous transformations.
Psalms of Transformation
"What joy for those whose strength comes from the Lord, who have set their minds on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. When they walk through the Valley of Weeping, it will become a place of refreshing springs. The autumn rains will clothe it will blessings" -Psalm 84:5-6
"Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise His holy name. Let all that I am praise the Lord; may i never forget the good things he does for me. He forgives all my sins and heals all my disease. He redeems me from death, and crowns me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle's!" -Psalm 103:1-5
Transformation: Rebuilding, reconstructing, where good conquers evil, when our Valleys of Trouble become gateways of Hope.
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