The Valley of Hope

“And Sharon shall be a fold of flocks, and the valley of Achor a place for the herds to lie down in, for my people that have sought me.”  Isaiah 65:10

Several years ago, I was privileged to attend the General Conference in Toronto. After the night service, our group would travel on the Subway from the Conference Centre to our Hotel. One night, the subway car door closed after the rest got out, leaving me alone. Having ridden on the subway before, I knew enough to get off at the next station, cross over, and take the next train back to one station.

There is a Japanese legend that says, “If you get on the wrong train, get off at the nearest station. The longer it takes you to get off, the more expensive the return trip will be.”

When I read this, I thought of the story recorded in Joshua. Israel had finally reached the Promised Land, and it was time to start claiming it for their own. God gave Joshua specific instructions to follow as they prepared to attack the city of Jericho. They were to destroy the city and not take anything for themselves.

Joshua 6:19 “But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated unto the LORD: they shall come into the treasury of the LORD.” 

But there was one man who did not obey this command. Achan took items for himself and hid them in his tent. He thought no one would know about it. But God knew, and because of his sin, all of Israel suffered. When they went out to claim the next city, they faced defeat. God showed Joshua that there was sin in the camp. So, Joshua called the people together and began the process of finding the guilty one. Achan had committed sacrilege as well as theft. Israel had been taught that victory required complete obedience. So, Achan had to be punished.

Joshua 7:26 “And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day. So, the LORD turned from the fierceness of his anger. Wherefore the name of that place was called, The valley of Achor, unto this day.”

The valley of Achor became known as a place of judgment, of heartbreak, and trouble. But Isaiah saw it in a different light. He saw Israel one day restored and the valley of trouble becoming the valley of hope.

This is again shown in Hosea 2:15 “And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt.”

All of us make mistakes; there will be times when we fail the Lord. But when we feel conviction, we need to ask the Lord to forgive us. Nothing can be hidden from the Lord. We cannot expect victory in our lives until we are willing to acknowledge our failures. The longer we put off confessing and receiving forgiveness, the harder it will be. What a relief it is when we regain our fellowship with the Lord, and we move from the valley of trouble to the valley of hope.

Promise for Today: I John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Devotion by Anne Johnston