The Valley (Not the Mountaintop) is the Place of Vision
An oracle concerning the valley of vision. (Isaiah 22:1)
My morning and evening readings often include a selection from The Valley of Vision. This is a collection of Puritan prayers and devotions first published in 1975 and in its sixteenth printing as of 2018. Each prayer has a poetic form that eases comprehension, enlarges and illuminates the theme, and provides the opportunity to pause for reflection and meditation.
The first entry explains the counter-intuitive title. Here it is in its entirety.
LORD, HIGH AND HOLY, MEEK AND LOWLY,
Thou hast brought me to the valley of vision,
Where I live in the depths but see thee in the heights;
Hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold thy glory.
Let me learn by paradox
That the way down is the way up,
That to be low is to be high,
That the broken heart is the healed heart,
That the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,
That the repenting soul is the victorious soul,
That to have nothing is to possess all,
That to bear the cross is to wear the crown,
That to give is to receive,
That the valley is the place of vision.
Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from deepest wells,
And the deeper the wells the brighter thy stars shine;
Let me find thy light in my darkness,
Thy life in my death,
Thy joy in my sorrow,
Thy grace in my sin,
Thy riches in my poverty,
Thy glory in my valley.
Dear Father in Heaven,
Your word says that when I am weak, then I am strong; the first shall be last, and it is better to give than to receive. Your wisdom far exceeds the supposed knowledge and understanding of man. May I put my hope in You and look to You in the ordinary events of each day, the routine liturgies that form my being, and the lowly valley where I can best see and accept Your will and Your call upon my life.
In His name, I pray. Amen.
Walking by faith and enjoying the homeschooling adventure of a lifetime!
Davis Carman
© 2021 Davis Carman
Let’s Talk Homeschool Podcast
Apologia.com
Davis is the president of Apologia Educational Ministries, the #1 publisher of Creation-based science and Bible curriculum. He is the author of five illustrated children’s books designed to help parents instill a biblical worldview in the hearts and minds of their preschoolers. He believes that if there was ever a time to homeschool, it is now! You can hear more of what he has to say at the Let’s Talk Homeschool Podcast.