Praise the Lord; praise God our savior!
For each day he carries us in his arms.
In her book Hinds Feet on High Places, Hannah Hurnard wrote the allegory of a young woman called Much-Afraid, who works in the service of the Chief Shepherd with his flocks down in the Valley of Humiliation. She lives in the Village of Much Trembling among her family the Fearings.
One day she hears the call of the Shepherd who draws her to follow him up to the high places, away from the Valley of Humiliation. She trusts the Shepherd and knows that following him will mean deliverance.
As Much Afraid begins to follow him up out of the valley, she feels free and light walking side by side with her Shepherd. But when he says he will give her over to new traveling companions on the long journey to the High Places, she implores that when she is with him she is strong. Who but the Shepherd could get her up to the High Places?
He looked at her most kindly, but answered quietly, “Much-Afraid, I could do what you wish. I could carry you all the way up to the High Places myself, instead of leaving you to climb there. But if I did, you would never be able to develop hinds’ feet, and become my companion and go where I go.”
The Shepherd reveals the names of her new traveling companions: Sorrow and Suffering. And poor Much-Afraid begins to tremble from head to foot. She feels like fainting and clings to the Shepherd for support, when he reassures her that she will not be put to shame.
Then in her mind, she remembers a hymn which she begins to sing as she recalls how others had gone this way before and were even able to sing afterward.*
Let sorrow do its work, send grief or pain;
Sweet are thy messengers, sweet their refrain.
If they but work in me, more love, O Christ, to thee
More love to thee, more love to thee
Carry
Read the verse of the day: PSALM 68:19
Look up today’s verse and read it in context of the chapter. Have a pen and paper ready. We will work through five steps.
- Write down the Bible verse.
- Find the key word and circle it.
- Look up the definition of the word (notice how it is used in context).
- If you are reading from a different translation of the Bible, which word is used instead?
- Underline where you find a promise. Find the heart of this verse and mark it with a heart shape.
(Click here for How to Use a Word Study.)
Meditation
What does this verse reveal about God’s heart? How does this truth refresh your soul? Turn this into your prayer today.
Please leave a comment below to share something that touched you in today’s devotional.
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You are reading part of the 31-day series from Weary to Worship. To see other days click on Write 31 Days 2017 from the top menu. Before you go…I have carefully curated a special guide when you subscribe to receive the daily devotions.
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Photo by Samantha Gades on Unsplash
*If you would like to read this life-changing Christian allegory for yourself, check out Hinds Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard wherever books are sold.
