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Psalm 63:1-8; Daniel 12:1-4; Revelation 3:1-6
We Will March through the Valley
We will march thro' the valley in peace,
We will march thro' the valley in peace;
If Jesus himself be our leader,
We will march thro' the valley in peace.
We will march thro' the valley in peace
We will march thro' the valley in peace;
Behold I give myself away, and
We will march, thro' the valley in peace;
We will march, thro' the valley in peace
We will march thro' the valley in peace.
This track l'll see and I'll pursue;
We will march, thro' the valley in peace.
We will march, thro' the valley in peace
We will march, thro' the valley in peace,
When I'm dead and buried in the cold silent tomb,
I don't want you to grieve for me.
-Slave Songs, 95
Life doesn't consist of only mountaintops, the high ecstatic moments.
We all probably know this, just by living. Lent claims a wilderness
journey. The psalmist claims a valley of the shadow of death (Ps. 23). It
is the valley through which we also travel sometimes. And not only
travel, "we will march."Marching is so much more intentional than
mere walking. It takes determination to march, energy to march, focus
to march, sheer will to march. When one marches, one has a
destination in mind. The spiritual calls us not just to march but to march
through the valley. It acknowledges the valley experience, but it doesn't
say we will die in the valley or faint in the valley but "we willl march."
Moreover, come what may in the valley, we will march "in peace." As
we move forward, we will do so in peace but this peace is not of our
own making.
The spiritual clarifies this just in case we thought we could march on
our own and do so in peace. The singer makes it plain, "If Jesus himself
be our leader, we will march through the valley in peace. "Our peace in
whatever circumstances we find ourselves in comes from Jesus, who is
our peace (Eph. 2:14). Jesus has to lead in order for this to happen. "If
Jesus ..." suggests that at times we may travel, but Jesus isn't leading
us to where we are going.
Let Jesus lead you to where he wants you to go. If Jesus leads, you will
find peace even if you march through a valley. Keep marching wherever
Jesus leads.
Prayer for the Day
Lead me, Jesus, lead me. Even when I go through a valley, let me be
consumed by your peace.
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