Don’t look around, look up!
For years, I have loved looking at the clouds. There’s just something about them that draws me in. The landscape below may be barren and mundane but there’s a majesty in looking up.
There’s a good Biblical lesson in that.
When Daniel was in the lions’ den he wasn’t counting lions, he was looking up to the One who delivers.
When David was facing Goliath, he wasn’t looking around at all the soldiers who weren’t joining the battle, but he was looking up to the Rock of his salvation.
When Peter was on the sea he was looking at Jesus who was walking on the water of his storm but when he looked around at the waves he began to sink.
I’ve been reading through some of the smaller books in the Old Testament, Ezra and Nehemiah. Some Jews had been released from captivity and sent back to Jerusalem with a specific task, rebuild the wall around the city.
Ezra and the Jews faced so many interruptions, malicious reports and threats of danger. They didn’t complete the job, but they made a good start. Enter Nehemiah. He also faced threats. Listen to his advice:
“Our enemies were saying, ‘Before those Jews know what has happened, we will sneak up and kill them and put an end to their work.’ 12 On at least ten different occasions, the Jews living near our enemies warned us against attacks from every side, 13 and so I sent people to guard the wall …14 Then I looked things over and told the leaders, the officials, and the rest of the people, ‘Don’t be afraid of your enemies! The Lord is great and fearsome. So think of him and fight for your relatives and children, your wives and homes!’15 Our enemies found out that we knew about their plot against us, but God kept them from doing what they had planned. So we went back to work on the wall.” Nehemiah 4:11-15 CEV
“…the wall was completely rebuilt. It had taken 52 days. 16 When our enemies in the surrounding nations learned that the work was finished, they felt helpless, because they knew that our God had helped us rebuild the wall.” Nehemiah 6:15-16 CEV
Where’s your focus today? Are you looking around at your circumstances or are you looking up to your Savior and your God?
“I look to the hills! Where will I find help? 2 It will come from the Lord, who created the heavens and the earth. 3 The Lord is your protector, and he won’t go to sleep or let you stumble…7 The Lord will protect you and keep you safe from all dangers. 8 The Lord will protect you now and always wherever you go.” Psalm 121 CEV
I think we often spend so much time wondering what other people will think, seeking approval or others’ opinions instead of looking up and seeing what the Lord has to say. It’s good to get advice but it should be godly advice.
Don’t look around at the circumstances. Look up and trust the Lord!