Keep Calm – Don’t Look Down – Look Up #3

Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  (NKJV).

Sometimes life is tough.  Sometimes the bills don’t get paid.  Sometimes sickness weakens and debilitates us.  Sometimes our hopes are dashed.  Sometimes our dreams don’t happen as planned.  Sometimes we just don’t know what is going on.  Sometimes life just sucks.

We could go on with many more descriptions of what life is sometimes like.

I know.  As you do too I am sure.

However we’re encouraged with a powerful truth in our text for this Brief Word.  We’re encouraged to “Look Up”.  To look to Jesus!  What an amazing liberating truth!

(I’ve written about this before, in Brief Word #58 & #59).

When the burden of life weighs down on us, it is tempting and almost the natural thing to do, is to look down.  To look at our feet and where we’re going.  We see the obstacles, the dirt along the way, the barriers to blessing, we see everything that stands in the way of the promises being fulfilled.

That’s the problem with looking down.

If we could just look up, to Jesus, we would see less!  Ah but would we?

Yes we would see less of the obstacles, the barriers, less of the issues we face, BUT, we would be looking to Jesus, the “author and finisher of our faith”.  We’d be looking to the One who has faced every temptation known to man (see Luke 4:13).  We’ d be looking to the One who has endured.  We’d be looking to the One who has been through it all, won the war, and is now seated!  Wow!

Perhaps this is the perfect example of “less is more!”

There are many distractions along life’s way to do that very thing; take our gaze away from Jesus.  Distractions can stop us seeing.  Distractions can enlarge the obstacles and reduce the answers.

I was attending a meeting one time in Auckland, and we were staying at same place as the Crusaders super rugby team, who are based in Christchurch, in the South Island of New Zealand.  Although I live in Chief’s country, (Waikato, North Island), being born and raised in the South Island of New Zealand I am — yes I confess — a fan of the Crusaders!

We bumped into a number of players a couple of times.  My wife Wendy nearly literally coming out of the lift!  There are HUGE men!

The first time was before their game.  They were focused, in the zone, they didn’t engage with us at all, didn’t look us in the eye, or reply to our hellos.

The second time we encountered them it was totally different.  This time was after their game and they did say hello, they looked us in the eye, and were much more engaging and relaxed.

In the first encounter they weren’t going to be distracted, they weren’t going to lose their focus and their “vision” of the game just ahead of them.  They were un-distractible.

What a great lesson!

(I am happy to say, they went on to win their game.  Yes!).

It’s true — when we are FREE we can SEE!

When we are free of distractions, we can see what we should be looking at.  Jesus!  And His victory, His provision, His peace, His power.

Are you and I free to see?  What veil, blockage, baggage, burdens, attitudes, covering, character traits, sorrows, sin, frustrations, time-stealers, troubles, disappointments or distractions are there in our life that veils what God wants us to see?

Notice what God says to Abram.  (Also note: Abram – exalted father.  Abraham – Father of a multitude.  It was after God spoke to Abram and got him to look up, that He changed his name.  Abram could at last see what God meant).

Genesis 13:14 And the Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: “Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are … (NKJV).

Genesis 13:14 After Lot was gone, the Lord said to Abram, “Look as far as you can see in every direction.  (NLT).

Genesis 13:14  After Lot separated from him, God said to Abram, “Open your eyes, look around. … see … (Message Bible).

Genesis 13:14  After Abram and Lot had gone their separate ways, the LORD said to Abram: Look around to the north, south, east, and west.  (CEV).

God wanted Abram to move, so the first thing He does is to say; “… lift up your head, have a look, see, from where you are, to, where I want you to be”.  (Paraphrase of Genesis 13:14).

We read earlier that Lot went with Abram when he left Haran.  (See Genesis 12:4).  But should he have?  Lot’s name means a covering, a veil.  It was not until Lot had gone his way that Abram could at last SEE!

Abram couldn’t see by looking down.

Maybe Lot was a veil, a covering, a blockage to Abram’s vision.  Maybe Lot should never have been with Abram.

When we are FREE we can SEE!

Many people look, but never see.  Let God show you some stuff!  Personally, in your family, in your business, calling, in your relationships, ministry, and in your church.

So…, in spite of, irrespective of, or maybe even because of, the distractions and obstacles in our way, lets lift our eyes to Jesus!  Let’s look up and fix our eyes on Him.  Because as we do, we are fixing our eyes not on the storm, but on the calm-er of storms!  The provider of provision.  The healer of hurts.

Our view is always safest when we look up, to Jesus!  Yes, in life watch where we walk, but look up, much more!