GOD IS THE WAITING ROOM

PLANT MY FEET

Psalm 84: NIV

Blessed are those whose strength is in you,

    whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.

6 
As they pass through the Valley of Baka,
    they make it a place of springs;

    the autumn rains also cover it with pools.

[d]

7 
They go from strength to strength,
    till each appears before God in Zion.

Message Bible

And how blessed all those in whom you live,

    whose lives become roads you travel;

They wind through lonesome valleys, come upon brooks,

    discover cool springs and pools brimming with rain!

God-traveled, these roads curve up the mountain, and

    at the last turn—Zion! God in full view!

Living Bible

5 
Happy are those who are strong in the Lord, who want above all else to follow your
steps. 6 When they walk through the Valley of Weeping, it will become a place of springs
where pools of blessing and refreshment collect after rains! 7 They will grow constantly
in strength, and each of them is invited to meet with the Lord in Zion.

8 
O Jehovah, God of the heavenly armies, hear my prayer! Listen, God of Israel. 9 O God,
our Defender and our Shield, have mercy on the one you have anointed as your king. [a]

10 
A single day spent in your Temple is better than a thousand anywhere else! I would
rather be a doorman of the Temple of my God than live in palaces  of wickedness. 11 For
[b]
Jehovah God is our Light and our Protector. He gives us grace and glory. No good thing
will he withhold from those who walk along his paths. [c]

12 
O Lord of the armies of heaven, blessed are those who trust in you.

walk through the Valley of Weeping

START with the joy of Zion

Psalms 84 is a song of pilgrimage, about going on a journey

For many families, it was the highlight of the year, to be able to go to Jerusalem and see the
sights and sounds of the big city, to be able to enter into the temple and see the splendor
of it. Many traveled great distances and endured hardship to be able to make it to
Jerusalem. The way was sometimes discouraging, so they would sing and worship as they
traveled. This psalm is believed to be one of the ones that they sung, to remind them,
especially during the discouraging parts of the journey, of the glory of God’s house. This
psalm is expressed with deep longing for the presence of God, to be in His house, to be in
His courts, and to dwell in His presence is the object of this psalm. For many of them that
traveled, it was like a homecoming, they would see family that that had not seen for a
while, but still the highlight was to be in the temple of God, worshipping and praising Him.

As they traveled, outside of Jerusalem, was a valley called the Valley of Baca. Most of
pilgrims had to pass through this valley to make it to Jerusalem. I have heard several ideas
about the Valley of Baca, some scholars believe it was a garbage heap, a dump, that the
pilgrims passed by, other scholars believe it takes its name from the Balsam tree. Balsam
trees grew in dry places, so it is believed that the Valley of Baca was a harsh, dry, place that
would test the patience of the pilgrims as they journeyed to meet with God. Such a valley
exists between the Jordan and Jerusalem. The Balsam tree, at a certain time, weeps its sap,
and no doubt, this reminded the travelers of the tears that they themselves shed while on
the journey. Baca also means weeping in the Hebrew language, so many see it as a place of
great sorrow. We too have our valleys of Baca that we pass through on our way to the new
Jerusalem. There are several truths that will help us that this passage gives us.
These followers possess an intense longing to worship the Lord: “How lovely is your
dwelling place, LORD Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD;
my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God” (Psalm 84:1–2

They begin the path of pilgrimage strengthened by God Himself and then remain steadfast in
their hearts (verse 5). They grow spiritually stronger as they continue to meet adversity with
unshaken faith (verse 7). As these sojourners find their strength in God, they are able to
persevere through calamity, sorrow, and severe trials. And in the end, they find grace. Their
Valley of Baca turns into springs of blessing and pools of refreshment.

It is sometimes difficult to understand how the Valley of Weeping can become a place
of refreshing springs.

Walking through life is not easy.

Valleys are symbolic of abundance. They provide water, food, and shelter. A valley
that is free to flourish and blossom will provide abundance for those that inhabit it.

Mountains in the Bible represent people's highest points, where we are

closest to the Lord 

it makes sense that valleys represent our lowest points

 God’s sovereign power is not limited or confined to any one location or sphere of
influence. God is not confine to certain geographical location. - The Lord Almighty
rules and reigns supreme over every place on earth—every hill, every valley.

The Valley:
  become a place of springs where pools of blessing and refreshment collect after
rains! 

 In the Valley – we will grow constantly in strength

 We encounter the Lord the Lord - He is a present help

IN the waiting room

The pain becomes intense

Discouragements set in

We become impatent

We sometimes distruct God

In the waiting we

 Our monies run

 Sickness worsen

God sets in our waiting Room

- Sixt for 12 years waiting for healing

- The man at besthsia – waiting for the trubblem water

- The woman at the well long for the right man

Elezabth was in the waiting

Abraham was in the waiting Room

I have come by to tell you to tell someone that Mircles also take place in the waiting
Room

Because Doctor Jesus is await in the our waiting room – He is a present help… He may
delay but the blession will come

Lazarus got a resurrection

Jospeh became primister

Our prayer are hear in our lowest of moments – In our valley of weeping

 
In our Valley of Weeping - God is who he says he is: The psalmist assures us that

 God is our Defender

 God is our Shield

 God is our Light

 God is our Protector.

 God gives us grace and glory.

 God is not stingy - No good thing will he withhold from those who walk along his
paths.

In the Valley of weeping’s we can learn to trust in the Lord

God can;

 Provide water in the wilderness

 Provide comfort with his rod and staff
 Provide food in the presence of my enemies
 Provide me with two bodies guards – Good and Mercy is walking with me in my valley
My final home is dwell in the House of the Lord. Heaven

In the psalmist’s day, pilgrims probably passed through this waterless valley on their way to
Jerusalem to worship.

The psalmist uses the Valley of Baca symbolically to illustrate a difficult and sorrowful path in
life. The name of the valley indicates a dry, arid region since this is where these types of weeping
trees tend to grow.

Habakkuk was a man greatly troubled by what was happening. He didn't understand what
was going on and why God was seemingly letting it happen.  

He speaks in a In a time of horrible spiritual decline

He saw that Judah had fallen and turned away from God. She had given herself over to
false gods and evil pursuits.

See look at he world and we see

We look at the church

 Decline is churchattendance

 Lack of logality to Christ and his church

 The spirit of evangelism on a decline

 Members leaving the church & and find fault in simple tennace of Trusth

 We dress, eat, behave like the world

 Prayer and study of the word on a decline

  Unfaithfulness in Treasure, temple, talents, time

 Coldness among members

 Many have become internest Christian..no need to fellowship any more

the first chapter speaks of sin and violence being rampant among the people of God. In an
attempt to make sense of what was occurring to them, he cries out to God, "why?"

Habakkuk did not stop with penning his frustration; he continued wrestling with his
confusion until the Lord brought him to a place of resolution. Habakkuk 3:17–
19 expresses the faith of the prophet in the face of troubled times:

“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the
olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.
The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables
me to tread on the heights.”

When we run with hinds’ feet on high places, treading “on the heights,” we live above
our circumstances. God gives us the grace, courage, and inner strength we need to
press on to attain new heights and experience new vistas. With the swiftness of a deer,
we can escape our enemies and gain freedom. All this is because “the Sovereign LORD is
my strength” (Habakkuk 3:1).

"hind’s feet?"
A hind is a female deer that can place her back feet exactly where her front feet stepped.

Not one inch off! She is able to run with abandonment!

In times of danger, she is able to run securely and not get "off track." The hind is able to
scale unusually difficult terrain and elude predators.
Our hope for you while at His High Places is that you would run with abandonment and
find the fullest measure of joy in the Lord, regardless of your circumstances. 

We believe that you will become better equipped to overcome the obstacles you face by
giving you the tools that will enable you to experience spiritual "hind's feet" . 

ore modern translations speak of “the feet of a deer.” This metaphoric language
describes the blessings the presence of God brings to a situation. A well-known book by
this title explores the journey of a person who learns to overcome fear and suffering like
a deer leaping over obstacles.

The deer, or hind, referenced here can also be called a gazelle, a graceful, swift, and
sure-footed animal that can climb sheer rocky cliffs and never stumble or fall. In
climbing, the deer can place her back feet exactly where her front feet were, thus
needing only two sturdy footrests instead of four. She can scamper across what appears
to be a vertical cliff, unafraid and undeterred by seemingly impassable terrain.

Psalm 18:33 Parallel Verses [⇓

See commentary ⇓]
Psalm 18:33, NIV: He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he causes me to stand on the
heights.

Psalm 18:33, ESV: He made my feet like the feet of a deer and set me secure on the heights.

Psalm 18:33, KJV: He maketh my feet like hinds' feet, and setteth me upon my high places.

Psalm 18:33, NASB: He makes my feet like deer’s feet, And sets me up on my high places.

Psalm 18:33, NLT: He makes me as surefooted as a deer, enabling me to stand on mountain

heights.

Psalm 18:33, CSB: He makes my feet like the feet of a deer and sets me securely on the
heights.
Do not be afraid of where God is placing  you in this life. He has you there to be His witness and to build you
up to be like Jesus. You may be on a high place to shine the light of Jesus to this dark world.

A hind is a deer. They walk, run and leap in slippery

places, yet they remain unharmed. It is amazing how these
creatures are able to thrive in areas with such dangerous
terrain

SALM 18:33 - He maketh my feet like hinds' feet, and setteth me upon my high places.

HABAKKUK 3:19 - The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a
deer, he enables me to tread on the heights. For the director of music. On my stringed
instruments.

Strengthening of our hinds' feet or making our feet like that of a deer is divine, it is both a
physical and spiritual empowerment for a total take over. In this season, God has decided
to make us fit and able for the year's victory and testimonies. Without hinds' feet, we may
not have higher grounds.

Higher ground is a position of advantage, superiority and dominion. It is never a crowded

place, it is also a place of separation from mediocrity and worldliness.

Psalm 18:33 A Solid Stand

He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he causes me to stand on the heights. Psalm 18:33
David is giving God praise throughout this psalm for His protection and provision. David gives God the credit
for giving him strength and wisdom for battle, and for overcoming his enemies. He knows that he is standing
firm only because God planted his feet firmly.

The example given is David was given the feet like that of a deer. Deer are amazing to watch as they run
along. Regardless of the brush and unevenness of the ground the deer always seem to know exactly where to
place their feet to keep moving forward quickly. Then they can, with amazing speed and agility, jump over a
fence that they had been running alongside of, as though it was not even there.

Not only does say that God gave him feet like a deer, he also states that God made him stand on high places.
Watching deer up on a high mountain can also be amazing. They run or stand along the edges of a deep crevice
as though it was all on level ground. Some deer are also known for going down extremely steep sides of the
mountain with great skill and agility.
The challenge with standing on a high place, is that it is only one step from danger. One wrong move can cause
a fall, ending in a major disaster or death. A person can climb up the path of Pike’s Peak in Colorado all the
way to the top at over 14,000 feet. On parts of the path it is only about five or six feet from the mountain wall
to the drop off of over 2,000 feet straight down. One must watch his step or it can be a danger.

 In the darkest hours, under circumstances the most forbidding, the Christian
believer may keep his soul stayed upon the source of all light and power. Day by
day, through faith in God, his hope and courage may be renewed. “

 The time of waiting may seem long, the soul may be oppressed by discouraging
circumstances, many in whom confidence has been placed may fall by the way;

 but with the prophet who endeavored to encourage Judah in a time of unparalleled
apostasy, let … us ever hold in remembrance the cheering message, ‘The vision is
yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry,
wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.... The just shall live by his
faith.’ (Hebrews 2:3, 4).”  Ellen G. White, Prophets and Kings, pp. 386-389.

 “There is an answer to Habakkuk’s question. It is an answer, not in terms of

thought, but in terms of events. God’s answer will happen, but it cannot be spelled
out in words. The answer will surely come; ‘if it seem[s] slow, wait for it.’ True,
the interim is hard to bear; the righteous one is horrified by what he sees. To this
the great answer is given: ‘The righteous shall live by his faith.’ It is an answer,
again not in terms of thought, but in terms of existence. Prophetic faith is trust in
Him, in whose presence stillness is a form of understanding.”—Abraham J.
Heschel, The Prophets, p. 143.

God’s answer to Habakkuk was in the form of a promise, a promise which Habakkuk
himself was unlikely to see fulfilled.  Yet, the promise that God had a plan was to
comfort and sustain him. God rightfully expected that His promise, received by
Habakkuk through faith would suffice. And, in fact He told Habakkuk just that, ‘the just
lives by his faith’ (Habakkuk 2:4). The just would be those who like Habakkuk were
crying out to God while living surrounded by unrighteousness. 

Faith can be defined as trusting that the word will do that which it said it would and
waiting for the word to do it.  Habakkuk was to trust that God would fulfill His promise
and he was to wait for God to do so. The implication was that Habakkuk should not do
something himself, outside of what God had instructed. Faith is also defined as the
response of a heart filled with appreciation for God’s work. Habakkuk was being asked to
be grateful that God had answered his prayer and would one day do a work which “you
would not believe, though it be told you” (Habakkuk 1:5).  Thus Habakkuk was to be
certain that what he hoped for would happen and what he did not see would be revealed
(Hebrews 11:1). To Habakkuk, God’s promise was evidence that what was not seen by
human eyes is seen by God; He cares, and is involved in the solution to the problem. 

I see
Permit to look throught he eyes of Habakkuk
God was involved in the delay or as the author later wrote “…in the waiting.”  Even
though, the Lord did not answer their exact prayer to conceive a child, His delay prepared
their hearts to receive a different blessing; an adopted child. Thankful, the songwriter
later sang, “Thank you Lord for every answer you’ve delayed.”

Habakkuk was in a similar position – not that he was singing, but in that He was waiting
on the Lord for the answer to his prayer; waiting on the Lord for comfort and justice.
Having seen the immorality, abuse, and violence of countryman to countryman,
Habakkuk cried out, “God, don’t you see what is happening? Don’t you care? How long
will you allow this to continue?” And God in His mercy answered, “Yes, I see what is
going on, and I am displeased. I am not uninvolved I am doing something, but the fruit
will not be seen for years to come.  I will put an end to this, but it will take time – time to
save all who those who will heed.”
can find strength in their faith in God. With the Lord held in His rightful place, we can
find that the Valley of Baca becomes a very different place. The journey of a faithful
Christian through times of hardship is a step-by-step expedition “from strength to
strength.”

Conclusion

As people traveled to Jerusalem to worship, they would pass through this weary,
“weeping” place, but their journey was worth it in the end:

“Blessed are those whose strength is in you,

in whose heart are the highways to Zion.
As they go through the Valley of Baca
they make it a place of springs;
the early rain also covers it with pools.
They go from strength to strength;
each one appears before God in Zion” (Psalm 84:5–7, ESV).

Baca is not your home, God has designed you for something better, you are only passing
through. If you continue on your journey, all that you are going through will soon pass
away.

2 Corinthians 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far
more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
Paul is saying that here, our troubles, our valleys are only for a moment, especially when it
is compared with the eternal weight of God’s glory. That is what the pilgrims needed to
remember while traveling through the Valley of Baca, the glories of God’s temple, and the
joy of being in His courts. Keep your eye on the prize.

hey go from strength to strength. While we don’t like valleys, it is in the valley that our faith
is exercised, and we grow in strength. They go from victory to victory, from might to might