Dear Ones,
“My voice shall You hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto You, and WILL LOOK UP.” (Ps. 5:3)
My sweet niece, Ruthie, sent me a message one time and, being upbeat as usual, she closed with the familiar admonition to “Keep looking up!” That stayed with me as I meditated:-
LOOKING UP!
There truly is an aspect in which we may keep ‘LOOKING UP!’ — to Him Who is exalted above and beyond all He has created.
We are admonished to “LOOK UNTO JESUS, the Author (Initiator) and Finisher (Perfecter) of our faith…” And where is He? He is “…set down at the right hand of the throne of God!” In that position, “angels and authorities and powers (are) made subject unto Him.” He has been exalted “far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that which is to come.” (Heb. 12:2; 1 Pet. 3:22; Eph. 1:20-22)
In this highly exalted position, He has been appointed to be our “High Priest, Who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens.” “He is even at the right hand of God MAKING INTERCESSION FOR US.” (Heb. 8:1; Rom. 8:34)
Now, when “the accuser” of the believers appears before the Father with his accusations, our MEDIATOR immediately steps forth to plead our cause. Having “offered one sacrifice for sins for ever,” He rightly claims our acquittal! We truly can “shake off our guilty fears!” (Heb. 10:9-17)
We are also admonished to “Seek those things which are ABOVE, where Christ sits on the right hand of God; to set our affection on things ABOVE, not on things on the earth.” We are told to “look NOT at the things which are SEEN, but at the things which are NOT SEEN, for the things which are SEEN are TEMPORARY, but the things which are NOT SEEN are ETERNAL.” (Col. 3:1,2; 2 Cor. 4:18)
There is another situation in which we are enjoined to LOOK UP. Jesus talked about the signs of the end of the age. Some of these signs are becoming increasingly evident in our day. “And when these things begin to come to pass,” Jesus said, “then LOOK UP, and lift up your heads, for your redemption is drawing near.” (Luke 21:25-28)
LOOKING DOWN:-
There is also an aspect in which we may LOOK DOWN – down on the circumstances, problems, fears, anxieties, discouragements, etc. from the same high position, for “God, Who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, has quickened us together with Christ…and has raised US UP TOGETHER, and made US SIT TOGETHER – IN THE HEAVENLIES – IN CHRIST JESUS.” (Eph. 2:4-6)
We have actually been “blessed with every spiritual blessing – IN THE HEAVENLIES – IN CHRIST…” (Eph. 1:3)
A living, vital faith in the saving work of the Cross places us IN CHRIST. That is the position of continuous triumph over all the negatives of life. We like to quote an interesting reminder: “Those things which seem to be over our heads are already under His feet!” Since they are indeed under His feet, and we are IN HIM, they may be considered as under our feet also.
Looking up – or looking down – we have every reason to live victoriously, joyously, peacefully, and filled with HOPE (confident expectation) of all our loving Heavenly Father has prepared for us. Kind of inspires a spirit of rejoicing, doesn’t it?
“Now the God of all HOPE fill you with all JOY and PEACE in the believing,
that you may abound in HOPE
through the power of the Holy Spirit.”
(Romans 15:13)
In Agape, Eulene
