Blessed Hills and Valleys

“For the land, whither thou goest in to possess it, is not as the land of Egypt, from whence ye came out, where thou sowedst thy seed, and wateredst it with thy foot, as a garden of herbs: But the land, whither ye go to possess it, is a land of hills and valleys, and drinketh water of the rain of heaven: A land which the LORD thy God careth for: the eyes of the LORD thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year.” (De 11:10-12 AV)

The Lord took the nation of Israel from a land which was always well watered and fertile to a land with hills and valleys.  The Nile delta is rather flat and because it is, there as a constant source of water that kept the area fertile.  Water came from deep inside the African continent and empties into the Mediterranean Sea in the nation of Egypt.  As long as there was rain somewhere on the central or eastern portion of Africa, then Egypt had nothing to worry about.  Now, the LORD takes them to a land with hills and valleys.  This land drinks the water.  The land soaks up the water.  This land runs the water off.  Not as fertile as the Egyptian Nile Delta, this land would depend upon timely rainfall far more urgently.  Why?  Why not give the people of God a land that would take minimal work and faith to farm?  Therein is the reason.  It would take minimal work and faith!

We may not like the hills and valleys of life.  We may wish we had it better than we do and not have to worry about a thing.  We may wish our lives were nothing but prosperity each and every day.  But these hills and valleys are meant for our good.  In the passage above, God cares for the land.  He will send the rain as needed.  This provision would, in part, depend on Israel’s obedience and faith.  The experience they share is designed to motivate to obedience and faith.  Let me illustrate.  I often wonder what it would be like to win the Publishers Clearing House Sweepstakes.  It is not a lottery and takes no expense on my part.  I wonder what it would be like or how it would change my life if I won 2.5 Million dollars and $5,000 a week for life.  (that’s $260,000 a year).  I may go on a real vacation.  I may take a year’s furlough.  Who knows.  But one thing I know.  I wouldn’t have to trust the LORD for my supper table ever again.  I wouldn’t have to trust the LORD for any material need.  That may not be a good thing.  That’s not stopping me from trying!!!  But, it may not be a good thing.

The point is, life is purposely imperfect.  God gave us an inheritance of hills and valleys so that life would not be easy.  We would have to trust the LORD and walk according to His word.  As David writes in Psalm 119:71 “It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.”