Recently in my morning devotional a verse in Psalm 84 caught my attention. The first part of the verse is about passing through the valley of Baca. “Baca” can mean a desert shrub or it has been translated “weeping” by some translators. But no one really knows the location of this valley. It probably represents a place where many Israelites had to pass on their pilgrimage to Jerusalem, and it was most likely a dry, arid place that was a difficult part of the journey.

Then comes the second part of verse 6, the part that really caught my attention, “they make it a place of springs;” I got this vision of people walking through a dry desolate place and as they pass through, it turns into a lush green watered paradise. I know that may be a little overboard, but it’s just the picture that popped up in my mind. In reality, some commentators believe the pilgrims did dig water holes in these dry areas both for them and for others who were to pass and that even the holes would fill with water when the rains came as the last part of the verse states, “the autumn rains also cover it with pools.”

At the same time I happened be reading Luke chapter 7 and trying to notice if the principle of Psalm 84:6 could be seen in the life of Jesus. In that one chapter Jesus encounters the Roman centurion whose son was dying, the funeral procession of the only son of the widow of Nain, messengers from John the Baptist who were waiting in prison to be executed, and the sinful woman who cried and wiped his feet with her tears; all of them, people who were in extremely desperate “desert” situations in their journey through life. Amazingly, Jesus healed, raised the dead, encouraged, and saved. He made their desert a place of springs!

Jesus not only helped others in desperate situations; he went through many himself, especially in the last week of his life. But if there was ever a time when the valley of Baca was made a place of springs it was on Easter Sunday morning when the rock was rolled back and the tomb found empty.

As we journey toward Easter Sunday this year and even throughout life’s Baca valleys, let’s keep our eyes on Jesus, the resurrection, and the New Jerusalem ahead of us. And may we, by the power of Jesus, turn those valleys into springs of true life for us and others who pass that way!