August 15

A Door of Hope

"Then I will give her her vineyards from here, and the valley of Achor as a door of hope. And she will sing there as in the days of her youth, as in the day when she came up from the land of Egypt."Hosea 2:15

The Valley of Achor is a symbol of defeat, failure and loss. Joshua 7 tells the story of the Valley of Achor. The nation of Israel had lost a battle to the Amalekites. It was a battle that should have been easily won. When Joshua implored God for an explanation he found out there was disobedience and sin the camp. Once that was rooted out, Israel went on to win the war with the Amalekites and won the victory. Don't we each have our Valley of Achor? Have we not all gone up against a foe that was insignificant only to be defeated? Defeat must lead to a searching of our hearts. Is there any sin there that needs rooting out? If so, we must cut it out before it eats away at our hearts. The Valley of Achor led Israel to humiliation at the hands of her enemy, but it also led to self-examination, prayer, faith and eventually victory.

Each Valley of Achor has its door of hope. The key to that door is obedience, confession and repentance. On the other side of that door is hope and victory in Jesus Christ. Through our sins we have learned of the forgiveness of GOD; through our failures we have learned of our own weaknesses. Through our repentance we have tasted God's infinite grace. Out of all this comes a song: a song of our youth, a song of deliverance, a song we remember from the day when we first found Jesus Christ and he delivered us from bondage. When we have been delivered from sin, a song of amazing beauty will rise up from within us. It will be a song of praise and adoration for our God, a song for the One who will never let us go no matter how we fail him, for his love for us is unending. The valleys are placed in our lives to teach us obedience. If we learn the lessons God has for us, we will find joy on the other side. We will find fellowship and the tenderest of Fathers waiting with open arms to lift us up to a life of victory!

Father, how grateful we are that you do not leave us in our sins! With love you reach down and are willing to break us that you might bind us to you. Thank you for the Valleys of Achor in our lives. Help us to see the sins that need rooting out. Cut away the gangrene that it might not infect our whole lives. Cleanse us, Father, and draw us through that door of hope to yourself. May the song we once sang of deliverance and praise rise up from within us that we might bless you, for you are a God of unending love and mercy! Your grace flows so freely to us. May we always praise your name and worship at your feet! Amen.