![]() We would do well to stand outside under the night sky, to look upward to the stars, and to recognize the One who has created them all. Lift up your eyes on high And see who has created these stars, The One who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name Because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power, Not one of them is missing.(Isaiah 40:26) God’s power- and our potential- are boundless! We would do well to respond to our trials in relationships with love and generosity, to remember God’s promises, and to look all around us for the endless possibilities God has in store for us. Abram only needed to look in all directions to see the ways God would continue to bless him. ![]() God then came to Abram, renewed the promise to give him many descendants, and reminded Abram that indeed the land was still his. In doing so, Abram showed his generous love for others and his great trust in God. When they decided it was best to separate, Abram offered Lot his choice of the land. The LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, “Now lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward…”(Genesis 13:14 )Įarlier in this chapter we learn that the land Abram and Lot were sharing could not support all the flocks, herds and tents they owned. But are there ways in which our past wasn’t good for us- or even held us captive- that we have temporarily forgotten in this strange new wilderness? When we are able to look ahead, when we fully face all that frightens or concerns us about the future, when we surrender our glorified past, and especially when we have nothing left but God, how clearly God’s glory can be revealed before us! ![]() We may long for the past because it seems comfortable and familiar and sure. In our days of trial, perhaps we would do well to also look toward our wilderness. But when they turned from their past and looked toward the wilderness that lay ahead, it was there they saw “the glory of the Lord.” They complained to Moses and Aaron, even wishing they could go back to slavery in Egypt. As the Israelites wandered through the desert, they became very hungry- subsisting only on the morning bread and evening meat that came from God each day. I have written of this verse before because it is one of my favorites, and it is the first one that came to my mind. When we are downcast, where does God invite us to lift our eyes and find help for our souls?Īnd as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the Israelites, they looked toward the wilderness, and the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. (Exodus 16:10) It is my prayer that this encouragement will bless those of you who are feeling as I am in these days. ![]() All of us experience downcast souls at one time or another I know I am not alone! So I decided to look up Bible passages that show us where we might lift our downcast eyes and souls to find our help. I planned to take a break from my weekly blog post, but it struck me that what I am experiencing would not just be unique to me. I feel as if I am actually walking through my days with the physical posture of a downcast head and heart. I find I am often self-absorbed, immersed in my concerns and thoughts, and distracted from the goodness all around me. The word “downcast” seems to describe my soul quite well. In recent weeks I have felt weighed down by some of the changes and challenges of life, the tears and trials of relationships. Downcast: not happy, confident, or hopeful (of eyes) looking downward¹ ![]()
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