Look up

“My voice you shall hear in the morning, O Jehovah; in the morning I will direct my prayer to You, and I will look up.” Psalm 5:3

If you wanted to take some sensational photos, you wouldn’t point your camera at the ground all day and attempt to capture every shade of grass in the lawn. Your kids won’t be asking ‘can I see?’ that’s for sure.

Imagine if you always walked everywhere with your head down, your perspective would be completely different to walking with your head up. Sounds simple, but its true!

When I first read this verse it hit me like a brick. Has that ever happened to you? You are minding your own business reading your chapter for the day (or week?), when suddenly your life is transformed by an innocent looking verse that appeared out of nowhere. This is one of those verses for me.

I read this verse when I was going through a turbulent season of my life. Dark storm clouds appeared overhead, and I believed they were there to stay (and no I didn’t see the sun, or even imagine it). I read this verse and it hit me that I had been looking down for an entire year of my life. From my negative thought life and attitudes to my deteriorating physical state and health, I was walking with my focus on what was directly in front of me.

It took a long while to realign my thinking, but I started to read the word more and more about what I should be meditating on, and started to focus on the bigger picture.

I also bought a devotional and started a simple routine of just spending a few minutes or more alone with a cup of tea and my bible in the morning. It’s amazing how that time with Him can affect the outcome of your day. It was hard as I have always been a night owl, but it was worth the effort to set my alarm and wake up earlier just to readjust my focus, and allow Him to show me where I needed to change.

Every so often the Holy Spirit will gently remind me about the verse that captured my heart. When I am dragging my feet throughout the day and starting to whine and complain, I am reminded that there is a bigger picture, and that I have a lot.

I have the incredible gift of salvation and eternal life, an amazing family and beautiful friends who love me. I am part of an impacting church that is reaching thousands. I have food, clothing and a roof over my head…. Maybe write a list in your journal this week about all the things you do have. You might be surprised.

So look up as much as you can, maybe not in the natural, but in where you are directing your focus. Ask God to reveal to you when you are looking down when you should be looking up. And if you are having trouble lifting up your head, you’re not on your own.

“But you, O Lord, are a shield for me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.” Psalm 3:3