"The Lord God is my strength, and He will make my feet like hinds' feet, and He will make me to walk upon mine high places..." We find the title and the theme of this allegorical novel by Hannah Hurnard in Habakkuk 3:19 (KJV). Hinds' Feet on High Places was written in 1955 and since then has sold over two million copies. The story of Much-Afraid and her difficult and dangerous journey to the High Places has resonated with a lot of people over the years, and I am no exception.
At the beginning of the book, we find Much-Afraid in the Valley of Humiliation, terrified and oppressed by the rest of her Fearing family. As she pours out her woes to the Shepherd one evening, she expresses the longing to go to the High Places and is surprised to hear the Shepherd encouraging her to trust Him to take her there. She always thought it would be impossible for her to get there with her crippled, lame feet and her ugly, stammering tongue, but she claims the promise of the Shepherd and eventually begins her journey. However, the journey does not look at all like she expects. The Shepherd gives her two guides for her way, Sorrow and Suffering, and at times, their path goes in the opposite direction from the High Places. All along the way, Much-Afraid is learning important lessons in how to trust the Shepherd and resist the Enemy until she reaches the High Places and is given Hinds' Feet and a New Name.
This was a beautiful book, saturated with Scripture, and lovingly rendered by an author who drew from her personal experiences with fear and a stammering tongue. As a result, Much-Afraid was so relatable. Every time I felt myself getting frustrated with her for so quickly falling back into fear, I saw myself in her.
The thing I think I loved most about this allegory was the way it showed that Sorrow and Suffering were not Much-Afraid's spiritual enemies. Sorrow and Suffering were Much-Afraid's God-given companions on her spiritual journey. They helped her. It was her relatives, Bitterness, Resentment, Self-Pity, and Pride who were trying to ruin her. And at the end of the book, Much-Afraid came to the realization that even her enemies were not beyond God's grace and saving power. Just as the Shepherd always chose to see Much-Afraid as the new creature with the new name He was transforming her into, so Much-Afraid came to realize that loving people meant seeing them as souls just as worthy of God's mercy as she had been in her sinful state.
There were a few odd places in the book, such as when the Shepherd asked Much-Afraid if she could still love and trust Him even if He deceived her. I'm not sure what the Scriptural basis for this might have been or how important for us it is to say to God that we will love Him though He lie to us. Can anyone shed any insight on this? The book also emphasizes that there is no deceit in the Shepherd and He cannot lie, so this part really baffled me.
What encourages me most in reading Hinds' Feet on High Places and other books like it (The Pilgrim's Progress or Stepping Heavenward, for example) is the sweet reminder that God is our strength and He is making us more like Himself even when it seems we are utterly beyond His reach or that we're constantly failing. The process of sanctification will not be complete until we are united with Him in Heaven and knowing the truth of that is a balm when we are weary with seemingly endless failures. He doesn't see the creature dead in trespasses and sins when He looks at me, He sees the Righteousness of Jesus. What a glorious hope!
I would definitely recommend Hinds' Feet on High Places. It is beautiful and encouraging and worth every second. Have you read it? What part of Much-Afraid's journey resonated most with you?
I have not read it, but the plot really intrigues me.
ReplyDeleteI think you would really love this one. It's not quite as intense as The Pilgrim's Progress, but the spiritual analogies are just as beautiful.
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