Look up
While you are looking out for yourself and your family, look up! At times of peril and extreme stress, many of us turn inward and start looking solely at the circumstances and the myriad of possible outcomes. This attitude tends to bring isolation and defeat. It truly reveals that which we are trusting for our peace and well-being. We tend to drop our eyes to the world surrounding us, its circumstances and solutions. Most will drag us down, rather than lifting us up.
Why is the coronavirus such a greater focus of fear than all the other existing diseases that have been in our world for years, if not decades or centuries? Is it because there are vaccines that can lessen the possibility of sickness, even death? They are not an absolute cure-all, but we feel safer knowing there is a reasonable safeguard. Coronavirus has no known vaccine, yet. Will we be less fearful when the vaccine is discovered and available for our protection? Probably, but it will never go away entirely.
Peace and security
So, where does your peace and security rest? As a follower of Christ, we have an option other than the world’s offer of peace. Hebrews gives us the alternative. “looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (vs.12.2 ESV). If Jesus is seated at the right hand, and he is; wouldn’t it make sense that he can see all things clearly, even your circumstances?
That’s why you need to ‘look up’ to him as you ‘look out’ for yourself and others. By faith, you are acknowledging your trust in his divine love and attributes to see you through whatever you are facing. He even went so far to secure us in himself that he provided us with his Spirit, our ‘Guarantee’ of God’s presence at all times. According to Psalm 46, the Lord is our ‘Refuge’, our ‘Strength’, our ‘Very Present Help in Trouble’.
Place your trust in Almighty God
David, the Psalmist, of all people had reason and need to place his trust in Almighty God. So many trials and unknowns surrounding him! I love what he prayed, and sang, in Psalm 32.6,7. “For this cause everyone who is godly shall pray to You in a time when You may be found; surely in a flood of great waters they shall not come near him. You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance (NKJV).
Do you see this and believe it? The Lord is your hiding place, preservation from trouble and surrounds you with songs of deliverance!! What more do you need? The world certainly cannot promise this. So, as you look out for, look up to!! And finally…
“If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory” (Col. 3. 1-4 NKJV).
