Though scholars are not in agreement about the meaning of this verse, the word "Baca" means "weeping," and "valleys" of weeping and hardship are most certainly part of our pilgrimage from this world to the next.
Thursday began with the news of the sudden death that morning of one of my oldest and dearest friend's six year old grandson. Within the hour, another very close and precious friend asked for prayer for her daughter who had just received the news that the baby she was carrying in her womb no longer had a heartbeat. That afternoon, a sweet young mother in the lifegroup my husband and I lead shared the results of her young son's MRI revealing his need for a second brain surgery. By the end of the day, the seventeen year old grandson of an older friend from church was killed in a motorcycle accident.
It's been two days of weeping with those who weep when I open up Psalm 84 to create the memory verse photo for verse 6, and there it is - the Valley of Baca - the Valley of Weeping. But as we weep, we can make this hard pilgrimage a place of springs. We can surround our hurting brothers and sisters and stand with them in the "rain" of God's love, goodness, comfort and grace until we reach Zion - where weeping will be no more.
{I highly recommend a series of posts that my beautiful and courageous friend Nancy Franson wrote about her pilgrimage through the Swiss Alps. They are largely centered around Psalm 84.}
I'm linking today with Sandy...
