Hi Friends,
One of the reasons it is vital for believers to keep, open, fix and set our eyes on God is…well, I will let God’s Word tell you:
“I lift my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” Ps 121:1-2 NIV
God is our Helper. Often we can’t see Him when our perspective is founded on this world. We focus on our own understanding, our own resources or our own abilities and we cannot see a way out of our current challenge. But, once again, if we lift our eyes to God, our vision expands and we can see things we did not see before. God will give us new insight where we only had our old way of thinking. God will grant us more self-control where we used to go into a panic. God will offer us better options where we once fell into the same old habits. God will help us, IF we work with Him to open our eyes to His Way. IF we fix our eyes on His Truth. IF we set our eyes on His Life.
God is our Maker. As such, He alone knows what He created us to be. There was an original, sinless person we each were meant to be. Of course, because of The Downfall, each of us have strayed way off course. But God! He is not done with us yet. I love what He taught me long ago. He said, “Child, I did not create you- I AM creating you.” While God never wanted any human to know sin, much less act on it, He continues to work with us to purge the sinfulness from within. He continues to renew our minds, reshape our past and restore our purpose. God is still our Maker, but if we keep our eyes in this fallen world, if we fix our affections on temporary fancies, if we set our minds on lesser things, our transformation will be more painful than it has to be. God works with what He is given…we need to give Him as much as we can, so there is much to work with.
God is above and beyond the heaven and earth. As we look to Him, we too can live above and beyond the hard things that happen to us in this world. Above because we understand there is a higher purpose for everything that happens. Beyond because we choose to not allow those painful things to keep us from moving forward in life. After my Angel Pie passed away, part of me wanted to curl up into the fetal position and die too. But God! As I lifted my tearing eyes to Him, He helped me stand up and walk forward. He helps me still to live with purpose, honoring her memory and glorifying Him. How? By refusing to allow that most painful thing in my life to define my life. If God did not teach me to keep, open, fix and set my eyes on Him throughout Beckie’s trials, I would not even be able to get out of bed. While I am still a work in progress, just like everyone else, even on my “bad” days, because of God’s help, I can sense the peace and joy that is above and beyond the heaven and earth.
Lord, lift my eyes. Whatever you are going through today, please understand that God means it for your good. Not to destroy you, but to bring you hope and a good future. (see Jer 29:11) We must work with God through the difficulties so the difficulties no longer control our level of peace and joy. And we can only work with Him as we lift our eyes to God, our Helper and Maker Who is above and beyond the heaven and earth. The hard things of life become less hard…and the good things of life become glorious! This continues to be my experience. Want it? Then won’t you join me?
Until we meet again, PLEASE keep lifting your eyes to God, He’s closer than you think.
<>< Peace, Diane
