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Looking Up


Church Steeple in Pienza ItalyPhoto © 2013 Kelly Grace



Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation.
Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God:  for unto thee will I pray.
My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.
Psalm 5:1-3

This familiar passage has often reminded me to start my day with God.

It's been made popular as a Worship Chorus and that means many of us have actually memorized it by singing it often.

But this morning the last four words preached a little sermon to my heart about prayer.

, and will look up.

What do I do after I pray?
These four words give a simple and clear direction; and will look up.

It speaks of expectation.
It speaks of waiting.
It speaks of a burden transferred.
It speaks of a new focus.

  • Expectation because I've taken my thoughts, my worry, my anxiety, my problems, my hopes, my need, my confusion, my whatever to God.
I have a relationship with Him.  
He is my King and my God.
My Sovereign and my Creator.

I owe Him my allegiance and my life.

My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from Him.  He only is my rock and my salvation: He is my defence; I shall not be moved.  In God is my salvation and my glory:  the rock of my strength,  and my refuge, is in God.  Trust in Him at all times:  ye people, pour out your heart before Him:  God is a refuge for us.
Psalm 62:5-8

  • Waiting because He is the one in charge of the schedule of events in my life.  
He is never late.  
He is never hasty or impulsive.  
His timing is perfection.

To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven:
. . .He has made everything beautiful in His time:
Ecclesiastes 3:1 & 11

  • A Burden Transferred because I've given it into His strong and capable hands and LEFT it with Him.  
And He cares for me.
Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
1 Peter 5:7

  • A New Focus on the things above, not on the things on the earth.  
I need this reminder every single day.  
Have you ever had to recalibrate your bathroom scale?  
Or your refrigerator or oven?
The wear and tear of frequent use can cause them to "drift" from their optimal settings.
The milk gets warm and the cookies get burned.  
And I know something's out of whack.
That happens to me too.
I drift.
My perspective shifts to this earth instead of its optimal setting on heavenly things.
God and His plan for my life get out of focus and all the clutter of the world floods the viewfinder of my life.

But time with God resets me.
And when I remember to look up it all falls into place for me.
I come away in balance and properly calibrated once again.

Your eyes shall see the king in his beauty:  they shall behold the land that is very far off.
Isaiah 33:17

Don't forget the last step ~ Look up


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