Look Up!

A couple of months ago, my son Jonathan introduced me to an app for my phone that gives the user a visual of the stars, planets, moon, and constellations. It’s really cool to go out on a clear night and hold your phone up to the sky and be able to know exactly which planet you are looking at or the name of a star.  Most recently, by means of the app, I’ve been able to identify Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars that are all showing up in the sky above us. In fact, now when I look up, I can identify them even without the help of the app.

During our summer vacations in the Adirondack Mountains, we will often go out on a clear night and sit or lay back on the beach by the lake and look up. As we do, we are able to see a host of stars that are not visible to us here in a more populated area. Up there we are able to catch a glimpse of the milky way, satellites that are making their way around the earth, and lots of shooting stars. But here’s the thing: in order to see all of that, one has to look up! If not—i.e. if one continues to look down or around—they miss out on the majesty and beauty that is above them. To get a glimpse of the stars, planets, moon, satellites, shooting stars, milky way, and constellations, one has to look up! 

As Jesus described the difficulties that would come upon the earth at the end of time he said, “When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads (i.e. look up), because your redemption is drawing near.” (Luke 21:28 – NIV) The Psalmist wrote, “I lift up my eyes to you, to you who sit enthroned in heaven…our eyes look to the LORD our God, till he shows us his mercy.” (Psalm 123:1, 2b – NIV) The Scriptures throughout, encourage us to look up. God invites us to look up, not just to the heavens but beyond.  

Considering all that is happening in our world today, we might not want to spend too much time looking down or looking around. After a while that will get to us and before you know it we find ourselves in worry, despair, and overwhelmed. Or, maybe you have stuff happening in your personal life that is pulling you down. In either case, this might be a really good time for us to look up—to look up to God; to look up to the One who is able to take us through this life  to the next; to look up to the One who has promised to save us. 

Don’t get stuck looking down or looking around. Today, God invites you to look up—not just at the sky, but to look up to him! 

Have a great day! 

Pastor Tim Harris