The darkness shall never overtake me, but there is little light in my life.”

                    –D.C. Adkisson  (Return From Tincup)

        “Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.”

                    –1 Peter 5:7  (Amplified)

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One of my favorite hymns is “Never Alone.”  God has promised that He would never leave us alone.  That takes us to Psalm 142, written by David when he was hiding in a cave.  George Wood states, “The kind of cave you’re in often determines the tone of the prayer you pray.”  David was in depression, deep anxiety and utterly desperate.  Was God even there?  Know this–we are never isolated from God!  Let’s look at David’s experience while at the cave of Adullam.

          1 — I cry out to the LORD with my voice; with my voice to the LORD I make my supplication.
          2 — I pour out my complaint before Him; I declare before Him my trouble.
          3 — When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then You knew my path.  In the way in which I walk they have secretly set a snare for me.
          4 — Look on my right hand and see, for there is no one who acknowledges me; refuge has failed me; no one cares for my soul.
          5 — I cried out to You, O LORD; I said, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.
          6 — Attend to my cry, for I am brought very low; deliver me from my persecutors, for they are stronger than I.
          7 — Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise Your name; the righteous shall surround me, for You shall deal bountifully with me.”  (NKJV)

     David, with his crushed soul, is crying out to God for help.  By himself, chased, distressed, David cries out.  He cries out to the all-powerful, self-sufficient One who alone can help him.  The isolation of the cave, maybe with intense darkness, David declares that he is in dire need of intervention from the Lord.  He was trapped in darkness, if he leaves the darkness of the cave, his enemies are waiting for him.  What a quandary!
     In the darkness of life’s episodes we can’t see, but God can.  In the midst of trials when the weight is overwhelming God is there and knows our situation.  Know this friend, God knows the path you are on, He knows the plight you are in, and in fact He is the director of your way.  David does realize that God knows his path but then falls back into despair–woe is me, no one cares for my soul.  Which one wins out?  Does despair overtake you, or do you see the hand of God?
     David is in a weakened state, physically, mentally, and spiritually.  He knows his current weakness, but he also knows that God is there–God will surround him, give him comfort and bring him out.  God knows our weakness and is there to lift us up in whatever kind of cave we may find ourselves.  Notice that David ends this psalm with a declaration of faith.  Even in times of utter darkness, he finds an inner light to help him–faith is that light.  Sometimes God allows new troubles to come our way so that we can throw ourselves on God in new, desperate ways.  There is a song that says, “I’m desperate for You.”  I have often wondered if we really are desperate for God.  What would happen if God would put us in a desperate situation?  Would we lose hope and become bitter and give up in defeat?  Or would we look up to God?  Steven Lawson says that “Desperate times produce desperate prayers.”  In desperate times it is imperative that we keep our mind focused on the Lord.

          “There may be days of darkness and distress,

          When sin has power to tempt, and care to press;

          Yet in the darkest day I will not fear,

          For ‘mid the shadows, Thou wilt still be near.”

                   –Henry Leigh

Can’t ignore it [past]; can’t forget it. What you can do is move beyond it.”
                    –L.C. Matthews  (The Promise)

       “The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom.  To him be glory for ever and ever.  Amen.”
                    –2 Timothy 4:18  (NIV, 1973)
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     If you are somewhat familiar with Greek mythology and history you should recall the Gordian Knot.  It was an intricately tied knot dedicated to Zeus and a prophecy connected to the knot said that whoever could untie it would rule Asia.  On the scene comes Alexander the Great, who was challenged to untie the knot.  Instead of working to untie it, in typical Alexander fashion, he took his sword and slashed through the knot.  A couple of things to mention:  a tangled mess was cut by the power of Alexander’s sword; the second thing is that the rope was now useless.
     Another thought comes from my experiences fishing.  There were a few times I had myself, what is referred to as a “backlash.”  They usually occurred in closed face spinning reels.  In short, it was a tangled nest of fishing line that was a complete aggravation, and often much easier and faster to simply cut it and discard the line rather than take the time to try and untangle it.  
     To think of that backlash reminds me of the words by Sir Walter Scott, “Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.”  Don’t think of what you have done to deceive, but glance at the great deceiver.  From the beginning that has been Satan’s method–deception.  What a mess he tries to make of a person’s life.  There seems no way to untangle it.  Divorce, alcohol, split families, lost jobs, and on and on we could add to the tangle.
     Now, let me interject here.  I had three “moms” who raised me:  my Mom, my Grandma, and my Aunt Bern.  What the world would call a tangled mess, a dysfunctional family–a “backlash”–I thought was normal.  In fact, I thought I had it pretty good.  Wow, three moms to watch over me and care for me.  It was a tangle that brought glee to the deceiver, but there was another Person at work–the Holy Spirit.  How many times over my life have I thought and pondered on the words of Paul, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28, NIV)
     Whereas Alexander used his power and sword, the Holy Spirit patiently begins to untangle the mess, the backlashed life.  Slowly, methodically, and painstakingly He unravels the mess.  He doesn’t cut and discard, but uses the life before Him.  It may take years, in fact, it may take a lifetime for Him to completely undo the mess of the backlash, the knots that were formed because the devil wanted a life destroyed.  Joseph saw this in his life when he told his brothers the truth of his seemingly “backlash” life.  “But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good…” (Genesis 50:20, NKJV)  So don’t be discouraged, the Holy Spirit is working, surely and steadily on each of our lives.
     This Mother’s Day, take time and thank God for your life, your upbringing; even though it may have been a “mess” and difficult, be thankful for those involved knowing that God is using it to work out for His glory.  I am so thankful for my Mom, my Grandma, and my Aunt.

                    –Zane Grey  (Riders of the Purple Sage)

       “I will open up rivers for them on high plateaus.  I will give them fountains of water in the valleys.  In the deserts they will find pools of water.  Rivers fed by springs will flow across the dry, parched ground.”
                    –Isaiah 41:18  (NLT)
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          Down in the valley the valley so low,
          Hang your head over, hear the wind blow…
                    –Jimmie Tarlton (?)

          But the Lord knows I can’t live on the mountain
          So He picked out a valley for me…
                    –Dottie Rambo

     Valleys are unique, as far as symbolism goes.  A valley can mean a place of rest or renewal; it can be the place where life is lived out to the fullest.  However, a valley can also be a place of dread, such as Death Valley, or the valley of the shadow of death.  Perhaps it is like life itself–it depends on the context and perspective.
     Last Sunday, during the song service, I noticed an unfamiliar hymn.  The words stuck in my mind; maybe it was because I grew up in Boulder Valley that the words stood out to me.  It was written in 1880 by William O. Cushing.

          Down in the valley with my Savior I would go,
          Where the flow’rs are blooming and the sweet waters flow;
          Ev’ry-where He leads me I would follow, follow on,
          Walking in His footsteps till the crown to be won.
 
     The lushness of the valley, with the stream flowing through depicts easy and comfortable travel.  It is easy to get caught up in the tranquility of it as the trek is full of flowers with the birds singing their melodious tunes.  Stop, dangle the toes in the stream…ahhh, refreshing; it is so simple to follow Jesus in the valley.

          Down in the valley with my Saviour I would go,
          Where the storms are sweeping and the dark waters flow;
          With His hand to lead me I will never, never fear,
          Danger cannot fright me if my Lord is near.

     The calmness of the valley can quickly be broken with the crash of lightning and roll of thunder.  The sweet water that flowed so gently is now a raging torrent as the water sweeps down from the hills.  The clouds have brought gloom and darkness, but then, then in the midst of the storm you feel His hand holding a little tighter to yours.  This storm, like all storms, will pass.  There is no fear as we continue to follow Christ through the storm in the valley.

          Down in the valley, or upon the mountain steep,
          Close beside my Savior would my soul ever keep;
          He will keep me safely in the path that He has trod,
          Up to where they gather on the hills of God.

     There’s not a better traveling companion than Jesus.  He keeps us going on the right path and in the right direction.  But, be careful, don’t get complacent, for we travel through the valleys ever onward and upward to the hills of God.  Our determination must be to follow Christ, not to dawdle in the valley.  It must be our life’s quest to follow Him.  Look at the chorus of this hymn, written in the same year by Robert Lowery.

          Follow!  follow!  I will follow Jesus!
          Any-where, ev’ry-where, I will follow on!
          Follow!  Follow!  I will follow Jesus!
          Ev’ry-where, He leads me I will follow on!

They would think he was like who he rode with.”
                    –C. Wayne Winkle  (A Dangerous Beginning)

       “For as churning cream produces butter, and as twisting the nose produces blood, so stirring up anger produces strife.”
                    –Proverbs 30:33  (NIV)
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(NKJV) Proverbs 3:
          29 — Do not devise evil against your neighbor, for he dwells by you for safety’s sake.
          30 — Do not strive with a man without cause, if he has done you no harm.
(ESV)
          29 — Do not plan evil against your neighbor, who dwells trustinly beside you.
          30 — Do not contend with a man for no reason, when he has done you no harm.

     Perhaps the first question we should ask comes from the mouth of Jesus, “Who is your neighbor?”  Then our answer should correspond to what He expects, for the need is the call.  To devise evil against your neighbor, or to cause harm to another for no reason is out and out treachery.  Have you seen some of the nonsense that is filmed on social media where a person is walking along the street and all of a sudden they are viciously attacked by another just for the sheer pleasure of it?  Imagine walking along, a person walks innocently towards you, and then, unexpectedly he attacks you by slugging you wearing brass knuckles.  That is demonic.  You are helpless to the attack and then he goes along his way laughing while you are on the ground bleeding and nursing a broken jaw.  
     What does your actual neighbor think of you, if you have one.  Or the person sitting next to you at work, or in church?  We should be the kind of trusting neighbors where we would be asked to care for a home if they went out of town.  The type to care for their yard if they were away or incapacitated in some manner.  By doing this our relationship with God is seen in a practical way.  J. Vernon McGee says, “We leave the pathway of faith and trust in God when we take matters into our own hands.”  If there is a problem there are proper and right ways of dealing with them.
     This is a dog-eat-dog world some would say.  No, we are to be friendly–neighborly.  To win friendship with a person for the express reason of doing harm or taking advantage of them is evil.  It is devilish.
     There was a parent at a school where I was the principal.  He was not a bad person, but he and his wife were always causing strife, they were always argumentative.  One day I called the man into my office because as I said, he was a good man.  I asked him how he feels when he is walking down the hallway and a teacher sees  him coming and they head for the restroom or the nearest exit so they do not have to speak or acknowledge you?   He was surprised, shocked really.  To his credit he asked if they really do that and why, so I had the opportunity to teach a little lesson.  There was a change in the man and the situation.  
     Strife brings nothing but misery.  It can continue on for generations affecting each of them until no one knows the reason for the conflict.  We’ve all heard of the famous feud of the Hatfields and the McCoys.  Strife, that went on from generation to generation.  If we say we are Christians and are causing strife, for no reason, we give a false representation of our heavenly Father.  Senseless argument and criticism is destruction and rarely does any good come from it.  Think of the story of Abraham and Lot.
          “Now the land was not able to support them, that they might dwell together for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together.  And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock…  So Abram said to Lot, ‘Please let there be no strife between you and me…'”  (Genesis 13:6-8, NKJV)
Abraham could have demanded by rights the good land, but he graciously allowed Lot to choose, not wanting to cause strife between him and his nephew.  And we know the story continues with Lot choosing the “better” land towards Sodom, but then God opened up His plan for Abraham.  As we go through life we should always try to do good, but we should always try to do no harm.