Look up!

Happy Sunday, everyone! Most church services were cancelled around here this morning due to icy roads and parking lots but I love the fact that just because we can't "go to church" doesn't mean that we can't "have church" right where we are, at any time. I had such a great time of worship with the Lord this morning as I sat in bed with my Bible, my Bible study book, and a cup of coffee. So much of a great time that I am eager to share with you what He showed me and reminded me of today. The past few days of my Bible study have been focused on the fact that God is my helper and the ultimate authority in my life. I've been reading in the psalms about "lifting my eyes UP to Him because He is where my help comes from" and "lifting my eyes UP to Him, the One enthroned in heaven." I'm learning that the posture of my heart (and even my body at times) is very important when it comes to my relationship with God. A quote that I read this morning was this: "We are not presented with a functional god who will help us out of jams or an entertainment god who will lighten our tedious hours. We are presented with the God of exodus and Easter, the God of Sinai and Calvary. If we want to understand God, we must do it on His terms. If we want to see God the way He really is, we must look to the place of authority - to Scripture and to Jesus Christ. And do we really want it any other way? I don't think so. We would very soon become contemptuous of a god whom we could figure out like a puzzle or learn to use like a tool. No, if God is worth our attention at all, He must be a God we can look up to - a God we must look up to. The moment we look up to God (and not over at Him, or down on Him) we are in the posture of servitude." (Eugene Peterson) I started to think about how many times I must've come before the Lord out of habit and almost a feeling of "have to" and my approach to Him was not one of "up" and of awe in Who He is, but more of a side or a down approach where all I wanted was to use Him like a tool and in a sense make Him a servant to me. Wow..did that really just come out of my mouth?!? The truth most definitely hurts sometimes. My prayer is that I would break free from habit and routine and that I would take my eyes off my circumstances and instead look UP to Him and that this approach toward Him would be filled with much greater impact and productivity. "I lift my eyes to You, the One enthroned in heaven." Psalm 123:1 I have some more to share but will save it for a later blog. Have a wonderful day!