The Valley of "Weeping"

This morning I was reading through one of my favorite Psalms, Psalm 84.  I was reading it intently and saw something that caused me to pause and look deeper.  What caught my eye was the statement at the beginning of verse 6.  It reads, "Blessed are those whose strength is in you, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.⁶ As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools."


What caught my eye was that there was a definitive statement about passing through the Valley of Baca - which literally means the Valley of Weeping.  Here is a great verse about pursuing God, seeking Him, entering into His courts, and it includes a visit to the Valley of Weeping, and its not an option.


In the natural, travelers on pilgrimage to Jerusalem had to pass through this valley, and it is thought to be Gehenna, a place of refuse, dumps, and graves. God clearly uses the natural to speak of the Spiritual.  So what this verse is saying roughly translates to  - if you have your heart set on pursuing and encountering God, you WILL pass through this valley of tears.  However, this valley will be a place where you experience refreshing, God's provision, and continuing on to verse 7 - its part of the a progression of growth (strength to strength).


I was thinking more about this Valley and the Lord reminded me of the fact that pools gather in low places, and springs are revealed in the walls of low places.  So rather than being offended or distraught during our visit to the valley, we should be looking for the blessings, refreshing and provision of the Lord in this place.