Jan 24, 20192 min
Read Psalm 84:5-7
At the time this psalm was written, every Jewish man was required to go to Jerusalem to celebrate the feast three times a year. Whole villages would make their pilgrimage together, singing along the way. "Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, whose heart is set on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a spring; the rain also covers it with pools. They go from strength to strength; every one of them appears before God in Zion" (vv. 5-7).
As they traveled down the road, the men looked in three different directions. First, they looked within (v. 5). "Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, whose heart is set on pilgrimage," or, "in whose heart are the highways to Zion." Everyone has a road map in his heart that takes him where he really wants to go. Look within yourself today. What kind of road map do you have? Where does it lead? Have you limited yourself, or are you entering into all the fullness of walking with the Lord? They looked back (v. 6). They passed through a valley, Baca, which means "weeping." As they passed through Baca, they left behind a blessing for someone else. Sometimes on our pilgrimage we go through the valley of weeping. When you go through it, do you leave behind a blessing for somebody else? Or do you expect others to give you a blessing?
Then they looked ahead. "They go from strength to strength; every one of them appears before God in Zion" (v. 7). They were looking forward to meeting with the living God as they went to celebrate the feast. We, too, go from strength to strength. You may look ahead and say, "I'll never make it." But you will. He gives you the strength to keep going as you make your pilgrimage. You, too, look in three directions in your pilgrimage. It is often a difficult journey, but God will give you the strength to continue and progress. In your heart you have a road map to Zion. Follow it, and one day you will meet the living God face to face.
Baker Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group (bakerpublishinggroup.com). Used by permission. All rights to this material are reserved. Material is not to be reproduced, scanned, copied, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission from Baker Publishing Group.