"I will lift up my eyes unto the hills, from whence comes my help. My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth." Psalm 121:1-2
It is good always to look up. Thousands of people dwarf their lives, and hinder the possibilities of growth in their souls--by looking downward. They keep their eyes ever entangled in mere earthly sights, and miss the glories of the hills that pierce the clouds, and of the heavens that bend over them!
A story is told of a boy who one day found a gold coin on the street. Ever after this--he kept his eyes on the ground as he walked, watching for coins. During a long lifetime, he found a good number of coins--but meanwhile he never saw the flowers and the trees which grew in such wondrous beauty everywhere; he never saw the hills, the mountains, the sweet valleys, the picturesque landscapes; he never saw the blue sky. To him, this lovely world meant only a dusty road, dreary and unbeautiful, merely a place in which to look for coins.
This really is the story of the life of most people. They never lift their eyes off the earth! They live only to gather money, to add field to field, to scheme for power or to find pleasure. Or, if their quest is a little higher, it is still only for earthly things. They never lift up their eyes to God! There is no blue sky in their picture. They cherish no heavenly visions. They are without God in the world.
"Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things." Colossians 3:1-2
J.R. Miller
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6 comments:
How do you know what other people are thinking and feeling? How do you know whether they have a relationship with God or not? Do you know God's mind and the relationships he has with his creatures? It is foolish to believe we know how people stand with God. Think about Jesus's words to those who knew the Scriptures, observed The Law to the letter and probably believed they knew they were 'right on with God...'. It seems again and again in the Gospels that those who 'look' as if they are doing it right and often the ones doing it wrong.
Perhaps they could be those in good suits, pearly smiles and on every committee, Bible study and prayer group in the church!
"...the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God." Lk 18:13 & 14 Sometimes it pays not to look heavenward!
I've given up judging by people's outward appearance - I always get it wrong. I try and take my neighbors as I find 'em (though I'm not that good at it yet!)
Happy blogging!
Anon-
I hardly think this was meant to be a judgment, but rather an encouragement.
You made the point exactly, those who followed the law were looking to the law, not to God.
All we have to do is turn on the news, see the crime taking place and see that many are not looking to God.
Funny how people can take these things and their automatic thought is to judge others instead of looking at their own relationship with Christ.
Anonymous -
Thanks for the comments.
Dorci is right on.
This little devotional from J.R. Miller is meant to be an encouragement; not a comdenation.
This devotional takes many words to express a common saying you have heard many times, "That person can't see the forest for the trees."
Why should we entangle ourselves in the miry pit of the world when the beauty of God's creation is all around us!
Thanks for stopping by -
Spell check -
Should have read..."condemnation"
Anonymous, I'll look in the mirror if you agree to do the same. Kapeesh?
Oh, and the best way to know these things is scripture. Try to focus less on the individual and instead consider the subject matter at hand.
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