Where are you looking

Lift up your eyes, from where you are and look to the north, to the south, to the east and to the west. This is the world God has given us, we are caretakers of this beautiful world but for some reason we keep ignoring our divine task. We must look around and take an active part in the world around us. But how can we do that when our eyes stare at the ground.

So many years I spent my life staring at the ground. I knew every part of my shoe, but nothing of the happenings of the world around me. With downcast eyes, my world was me. With downcast eyes, I shut out the world around me, others problems, troubles, experiences, joys and achievements. With downcast eyes, I moved through the world but never saw it. With downcast eyes I ignored my calling because I was scared. However God woke me from my selfish slumber and made me realize that I was not called to have downcast eyes. God assigned me to take care of more than just myself, so I lifted my eyes and began to look ahead.

When I looked ahead I discovered a whole new world around me. A world that I have moved though but never existed in. Looking ahead I could now see the road before me. Looking ahead I saw a beautiful world surrounding me. Looking ahead I began to gain perspective on what happened to me. However that was not enough for Yahweh for I still had no purpose. I had not yet seen my destination. So I looked up.

Gone was the meaning I created for the world around me. For in that world I could be king and nobody ruled over me. Gone was the pride of all my achievements. For now I knew all that I had achieved had not been on my own but with the help of God. Gone was the way I looked ahead for Yahweh is in everything. Looking up I lost who I was because now I know whose I am. Looking up my eyes were opened for the first time. Looking up I saw my destination. Looking up I discovered an unparalleled fear and joy in my life. However God did not want my eyes to stay in the sky, He has work for me to do here and now. So again I looked ahead.

When I looked ahead again I saw a world of beauty and hurt, I saw those staring at the ground, wandering aimlessly, searching for something to follow. I saw those looking ahead, creating fortunes for themselves because they thought they were their own king. I saw those with their eyes to the sky, stumbling and falling because they knew their destination but refused to look at the road ahead to walk the narrow road towards their home. Then I saw a select few looking ahead with open eyes, working not for themselves but for Yahweh. They gave all they had because they knew they had nothing that was their own. This last, small group shined brighter in a world of hurt than every light in the city.

Where are you looking. I'm not talking just metaphorically but also literally. If you are looking down, then today look ahead. If you are looking ahead, do you know where you are headed? If you don't look up and discover a all loving and all powerful God. And if you have looked up, are your eyes stuck in the heavens or are you looking ahead, walking the narrow path that God has set before you.