A letter to you, the one whom God loves:

Look up to God. Look up and behold His splendour, majesty, power, wisdom, glory (1 Chronicles 29:11, Acts 7:55). Look up and see “The Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne”, with the train of His robe filling the temple (Isaiah 6:1, NIV). “Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing” (Isaiah 40:26, NIV).

Look up to God, He is the lifter up of your head. With your gaze fixed on Him, allow Him to gently lift your head. He is your shield. Look to Him and He will shield you from the arrows flying around, from distractions, pain, hurt, disappointments (Psalms 3, 121). When your eyes are lifted up and focused on God, the surrounding situations and distractions will blur and will bother less. Look up to God and you will see the world through His eyes. Look to God, to His holiness, loveliness, brightness, and “let all things that surround become shadows in the light of God”*.

Look up and see the Most High, lifted on a cross… whipped, crowned, pierced. Those who looked upon the bronze snake on the pole were healed (Numbers 21:4-9). One far greater than a bronze snake has been lifted up. Look up to Him and receive salvation, healing, peace (John 3:14-16, Isaiah 53:5, John 14:27). Look up to Him, know Him, understand Him (John 8:28). His nature is love, He is altogether lovely. Look to God, the Father who held nothing back, even His very own Son. Look to Him, see how He looks at you tenderly. Let the warmth of His cleansing and healing love wash over you.

Look unto Jesus. He is the author, not you. He who holds the pen is also the perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2, BSB). Yes, the wind and the waves are fierce, and they battle so hard for your attention. But Jesus says “take courage, don’t be afraid”, keep looking at me, hold on to my outstretched hand. Sometimes the waves of disappointment feel so strong, and oh, for just a moment, you were pulled away by the pain of disillusionment… you almost slipped. But, His grip on you is even stronger. By His Grace, You’re still standing and looking to Him. Keep on. See, our Saviour is stilling the waters and silencing the noise around you. But don’t lose focus. Keep looking to Him (2 Samuel 22: 5-7; Psalm 73: 2, 23; Matthew 14: 25-33).

Look not to man, look not to ‘horses or chariots’, look not to pleasure or possessions (Psalm 20:7-8; 60:11; Proverbs 11:28). Their satisfaction is unsatisfactory – fleeting and frail. Let not man’s opinions or verdicts turn your gaze – one moment it’s “Hosanna Hosanna”, the next it’s “crucify him, crucify him” (Matthew 21:19; 27:22-23). St Augustine said, “But my sin was this, that I looked for pleasure, beauty, and truth not in him but in myself and his other creatures, and the search led me instead to pain, confusion, and error.” Beloved, call off that search and turn to Jesus. ‘Let all the other names fade away, until there’s only Him’**.

Let not the mountains in your life block your view of Him. Ah, you say, but they look so big. Ah, but Our God is even bigger! He is a mountain mover and a mountain melter too (Job 9:5, Psalm 97:5). He can move your mountains, He can melt them like wax. Look up to Him for whom ALL things are possible. Man may say it is impossible, but not Him. He exists in a realm that shatters impossibilities (Matthew 19:26).

Like a babe looks at their mother and is calmed, like a sheep looks at their shepherd and is calmed, look to Him and be calmed. Experience His peace that minds cannot fathom. For He has promised, ‘I will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on me’ (Isaiah 26:3, KJV). Dane Ortlund says, “Look to Christ. He deals gently with you. It’s the only way he knows how to be. He is the high priest to end all high priests. As long as you fix your attention on your sin, you will fail to see how you can be safe. But as long as you look to this high priest, you will fail to see how you can be in danger.”

Look to the Sun of Righteousness, radiant in all His glory. His radiance will reflect on you, for “those who look to Him are radiant with joy; their faces shall never be ashamed.” (Psalm 34:5). Look to God and your heart won’t be overwhelmed, Look to God, your Ebenezer, your source of help. He will not let your foot slip (Psalm 121). Look up to the One enthroned in Heaven, the One whose wells of mercy never run dry (Psalm 123:1-3, Ephesians 2:4, Lamentations 3:22).

As the hymn says, “Look and live… Look to Jesus now and live. ‘Tis recorded in His Word, Hallelujah! It is only that you look and live.” Look to the fountain of life, look to the One who came to bring abundant life. Then you will experience life to the full, a life that glorifies our glorious God, a life worthy of celebration. Beloved, keep on looking up to the only one worth captivating our gaze – our loving, powerful, radiant Yahweh!

Some beautiful songs to accompany this post:

*When I Look Into Your Holiness by Kent Henry https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRvLjYK91Zw

**Wide as the Sky by Matt Redman https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuWc54CopeQ

God I Look to you by Jenn Johnson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wfhpv39c-pM

Image source here.