I Shall Lift Up My Eyes

     Life is filled with good times and times of trouble.  Quite often, when something was getting me down, my mother took time to talk with me while she was cooking, and she patiently listened as I bemoaned some problem during my high school years.  One of her remedies for difficulties in life was the Psalms.  She encouraged me through the years to read the Psalms to find comfort and assurance there.  As a result, I often went into my room to read and pray the Psalms.  This never failed to bring me peace of mind.
     One of my favorite Psalms is 121.  It is short but a very powerful assurance of God's abiding love and presence:  "I lift up my eyes to the hills from where does my help come?  My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.  He will not let your foot be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber.  Behold He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.  The Lord is your keeper;  the Lord is your shade on your right hand.  The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.  The Lord will keep you from all evil; He will keep your life.  The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore."
     The Psalm is comprised of eight short verses of powerful truth about our God.  Looking at verse 1, it becomes clear to us that God is our help.  After all, He is the Creator of heaven and earth.  Can anything be too difficult for Him?  Why is it that we try everything else under the sun before we turn to God in prayer?  I think it goes back to our old flesh that tells us we have to be in control.  However, God should always be the first One we run to when our lives are in turmoil or even at times of great joy!
     God will also not allow our foot to be moved.  In other words, He gives us the ability to stand in the face of trials.  We don't have to worry about a slippery relationship with God.  He is our Rock and a mighty fortress for us. In fact, God never slumbers.  Unlike real life body guards who can fall asleep on the job, God is watching over us 24/7.  This should give our hearts security.  Knowing He is awake, allows us to sleep well at night and to know that He is with us always guarding His own.
     Another comfort comes in verse 5 where it is stated that God is our keeper.  Just as our shadow is always with us everywhere we go, so our Lord is always with us.  This is verified by the writer of Deuteronomy 6  who tells us that God will never leave us nor forsake us.  This allows us to be strong and bold in Christ on a day to day basis.  Why should I fear when I know that nothing will happen to me today that has not already passed through the hands of my heavenly Father who loves me?
     Verses 7 and 8 conclude this Psalm with a promise of deliverance from evil.  Our lives are held in God's Hands.  He knows our beginning and end for all our days are appointed by Him (Psalm 139:16).  He keeps us in all our goings and comings.  Do we not find comfort in knowing that?
     Now, someone could read this Psalm and say that this appears to promise complete protection from all the bad things that can cross our paths in life.  However, this Psalm does not exempt us from death, sickness, tribulation any more than it keeps us from joy, blessings and peace.  This Psalm, instead, expresses the confidence we have in knowing that God is there walking with us every step
through both the happy moments as well as the sad ones.  He has created us for His glory and desires for us to enjoy Him forever.  Therefore, we can face anything as we walk through this world knowing He is sovereign over all things.  We do not need to worry, fear or tremble for we serve a risen Savior who will come again to rule and reign.  As His children, let us lift up our eyes today for our God can be trusted to do all He says He will do.  Selah!


Photograph courtesy of Aaron Thayer taken at the Naples, FL Botanical Gardens

From Anxiety to Trust

     Heading to worship this past Sunday, I felt the old gnawing sensation creeping up my back and sending my stomach churning once again.  I knew only too well the old enemy of my soul was stirring up those feelings of insecurity and anxiety that have dogged my footsteps for many years.   Having experienced a panic attack, no one would ever want to have another one; so the fear of the "fear" is what paralyzes me.   I never have thought of myself as a worrier, but that is exactly what God showed me during the service.  We have been planning a trip to Europe to celebrate our wedding anniversary, and with so many unknowns,  I allowed my concern to grow.  By the time we arrived at church, I was inwardly battling old emotional responses to stress.
     As we settled in our pew, I began a slow breathing exercise to calm my anxiety.  It helped, but not nearly as much as the Word being preached and the worship that filled the sanctuary.  Both lifted me out of myself so that I could hear what the Lord had to say.  What began with anxiety that morning, ended with a prayer of gratitude for God's goodness in revealing to me my sin and its remedy.
     Our pastor has been preaching a series on the Songs of Ascent in the Psalms.  Psalm 127 and 128 were to focus this past Sunday.  The first few verses of Psalm 127 are what began to open my mind and heart releasing them from the icy prison of anxiety.  These words of Solomon are so rich with wisdom:  "Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.  Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.  It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for He gives to His beloved sleep."

     These words pried open the door shut hard against the fear I was feeling.  It was a revelation though I had heard these verses many times before.  Yet, this time was different.  The Holy Spirit helped me see that God is in control.   He is the one that builds the house, guards the city, provides for our needs, and leads the way.  When we take it upon ourselves to do these things, we bring only anxiety and stress into our lives.  We demonstrate to God that we do not trust Him.
     Jesus said it well:  "Therefore do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body what you will put on.....And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? " (Matthew 6:25a; 27).  Jesus goes on to describe how God takes care of the flowers of the field and the birds of the air.  Being even more valuable than these creatures, God will also take care of us.  He already knows what we need.  While I have read these verses a zillion times, somehow they didn't register until now.  It became clear to me that worry was a sin.  My anxiety resulted from lack of trust in God who watches over all the affairs of my life.
     Amazing, isn't it?  We can be given a precious gift (like time with my husband on a special trip) and yet, we begin to worry about all the "what ifs" that may never occur.  Even if they do occur, what is the worst thing that can happen that God cannot deal with?  I had a counselor point that out to me years ago.  She told me that even if we suffer a bout of depression, a panic attack, or some other problem, does that mean our life is over and God is not present to help lift us up?  Admittedly, the answer is "no".  Since nothing can separate us from His love, we have no reason to fear and all the more reason to trust.

     All our worries, anxiety and fear cannot accomplish anything.  It can cause us to have an upset stomach, tingling in our fingertips, and a sense of impending doom.  However, trusting in the God who builds the house, keeps the city safe and watches over us, brings peace as we yield to His sovereignty.
     I left church fully blessed.  I repented of the sin of worry and committed my heart to greater trust in God.  Let no one ever say that God does not speak through His Word when it is faithfully preached in the assembly of believers.  When we come expecting to hear from the Lord, He will never disappoint us.  I am grateful to our faithful pastors who study and share from God's Word each week.  Most importantly, I am grateful to God for setting me free from the bondage of anxiety.
     Are you faithfully attending church each week?  There is a wealth of fellowship, teaching, and prayer that can help you face the trials and circumstances of your life.  You may not suffer from anxiety, but there is no problem to big or small which the Lord cannot touch.  God dwells in the middle of His people when they come together in worship before Him.  Do not miss out on His blessings.  Answers to life's dilemmas come when we seek first His kingdom.  He will add just what we need when we need it.   Selah!


How has God been speaking to you this week?  What Scriptures come to your mind as you face each day?  I welcome your thoughts and insights here as well as your encouragement.