Here’s a lesson that will serve you well. The direction you look will determine what you see. But there’s a spiritual application of that truth you may not have considered.
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I wrote the initial notes for this devotional while sitting on an airplane for a flight of over twelve hours, and that was only one leg of the trip. The flight took off late. The seat I was sitting in was not even as wide as the distance from my elbow to my fingertips. According to the cabin crew, catering had misloaded the aircraft prior to our departure, and so the “snack” they had to offer was hot oatmeal. (I decided not to snack that morning.) What little sleep I was able to get had been regularly (and loudly) interrupted by the child in the next row who had learned to use temper and screaming to manipulate her parents.
In the final hour of the flight I turned my mind to the future. My adventure in India was about to begin in earnest. I had planned meetings with friends I’ve known from a distance or only met once. We are all committed to advance the Gospel of Jesus in one of the largest national populations on the planet. Aslan, as CS Lewis was wont to say, is on the move.
Our verse today is simple, yet powerful and profound.
THINK ABOUT THE THINGS OF HEAVEN, NOT THE THINGS OF EARTH
Looking to the future, most especially looking to the future that God has created for you to walk in, is often the most encouraging viewpoint one can take. In other words, LOOKING UP towards Him who called you.
The bible teaches us that we have been created by God to walk out specific works. It even says that he has created these good works, specific works that God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
To see them, you need to be “looking up” so to speak. Eyes on the Lord, looking for His direction. Surrounding yourself with His people, folk who can help you develop the specific gifts He created in you. The specific gifts that will allow you to walk in the way He created you and be the person He created you to be.
THINK ABOUT THE THINGS OF HEAVEN, NOT THE THINGS OF EARTH
THINK ABOUT THE THINGS OF HEAVEN, and then set out to take hold of them.
Don’t use “I’m too young” as an excuse. The bible tells us of a time when David was overlook because of his age by his father Jesse. All seven of his older brothers were invited to come to the feast held by Samuel the prophet, who had actually been sent by the Lord to anoint the next king of Israel. One by one the prophet looked them over, seeking which of them the Lord has called to become king of Israel. Samuel knew it was to be a son of Jesse, and none of these was getting the Lord’s approval.
So he asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?” And Jesse replied “There is still the youngest, but he is out tending the sheep.” He was saying to Samuel, “These are the best sons; strong, brave well-trained and accomplished. The young kid is only good enough to keep track of the sheep on the hillside.”
But God knew what He had built into David as he watched over the sheep. Faithfulness, gentleness, the ability to be strong, a willingness for self-sacrifice. These were the qualities God wanted in the king. His age was of little concern to God, his heart was what mattered. David had learned to look up.
Neither can you use the excuse “I’m too old.” The bible also tells us that Moses was 80 years old when he saw the burning bush and received the call of God to lead His people out of bondage. Moreover, he led the nation of Israel for forty years. He learned to listen and obey, he learned to follow so he could lead well. He learned to look up.
Forget about the excuse that you’re not good enough. Did either of these two men (or any of the others we read about in scripture, for that matter) do it PERFECTLY ?? Nope. not even close. David succumbed to adultery, and then had the husband of the woman he slept with murdered. Moses got so angry with the people of Israel in the desert that his invitation to enter the Holy Land was lost, and he was only allowed to look upon it from across the Jordan River.
Neither you nor I will do it perfectly either, by the way. We are frail followers at best. And the most courageous of us on the outside battles our fears on the inside. There’s a hymn that acknowledges, “Prone to wander, Lord I feel it; prone to leave the God I love.” When it comes to the battles of faith, we all have times we want to throw in the towel and call it quits.
But THAT is precisely when we need to LOOK UP.
THINK ABOUT THE THINGS OF HEAVEN, NOT THE THINGS OF EARTH
LOOK UP and set your mind on things above.
LOOK UP and think about the things of heaven.
LOOK UP and seek the strength that God has for you.
Don’t look down and become dejected. Nor look around and become distracted. Don’t look within yourself to see if you have all the strength, wisdom and training to do what you’ve been called to do. You don’t.
KEEP LOOKING UP. Follow Him who is leading you. He will bring you where He wants you to be. It may be a time of training. It might be that He wants you working in a particular place or a specific job. It could be a time of rest before a tough task you’re about to undertake.
But KEEP LOOKING UP.
God has created you to walk in good works that He created for YOU to do. Not your neighbor, nor your Bishop. YOU.
He will equip you. He will put His gifts in you. He will train you. And then He will use you to advance His Kingdom. And it will be wonderful.
So KEEP LOOKING UP.
