Oldie but a Goodie

 

I recently joined a group of ladies at church for a Bible study on Wednesday afternoons. These gals are mostly (not all, but mostly) about a generation older than me. Wise ladies. After the formal study had ended, the leader suggested we read this book: Hinds' Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard. It's been around since 1955, so it's an oldie but a goodie. I asked a pastor's wife from my old church if she'd read it, and she said something like, yep, probably before you were born. haha! It is an allegory. But not a very subtle one. So if you're looking for The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe finesse, you won't find it in this book. However, the more I read, the more it started to grow on me. 

The main character is a gal named Much-Afraid. She lives a pretty miserable existence in the Valley of Humiliation. But she is friends with the Good Shepherd who makes her a promise that he can bring her to the high places. She goes on an epic journey, with Sorrow and Suffering, and learns a lot of lessons along the way. With scripture from Song of Solomon woven in and out of the book, this really does make you want to give your heart fully to Jesus and trust Him in all the details. She does make it to the high places, and she does earn hinds' feet. He changes her name to Grace and Glory. Kinda cool! 

Some things she learns:

--Acceptance with Joy

--Bearing with Love

--Jesus sees us as we will be, as we can be, not how we are now

--"Every circumstance in life, no matter how crooked and distorted and ugly it appears to be, if it is reacted to in love and forgiveness and obedience to your (God's) will, can be transformed....you (God) purposely allow us to be brought into contact with the bad and evil things that you want changed."

That message could not be any clearer. We have to go through the valleys and the deserts and climb the mountains of life to really be at one with our Savior. It's a message that is too good to keep to ourselves. 

Song of Solomon 8:6-7 "Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; for love, it is as strong as death, jealousy demanding as the grave...many waters cannot quench love, nor can the floods drown it."