When Everything is Going Down — Look Up! by James Ryle

“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 5:3)
 
You know the routine — it happens every morning. First, you wake up. Next, you get up. Why not go ahead and finish the process and LOOK UP. That’s the best way to begin a day. Especially if things around you are on a downward spiral. You can look up when things are going down. Furthermore, you must.

It is a proven fact that a person will head in the direction they are looking. This is literally true, as well as figuratively true. Stop and consider for a moment what it is you spend most of your time “looking” at. Your eyes see it, your mind thinks it, your imagination dwells upon it, your soul desires it — and eventually you do it.

Why not give this pattern a chance to work in ways that matter most?

Look up unto to the Lord in the morning, while your mind is poised and your energies are fresh. Look up, and move up. See what He is saying to you, and then see yourself doing what He wants you to do. If you will cultivate this simple practice, this spiritual discipline, you will find yourself doing what the Lord wants you to do.

On the other hand, if you look down and see yourself defeated and depressed — then you will surely spend your day in a pit of despair. Look down; and you will go down. Look up; and you will go UP.

The Bible says, “They looked to Him and were radiant; their faces were not ashamed!” (Psalm 34:5). Isaiah put it this way, “Lift up your eyes all around…….then you shall see and become radiant, and your heart shall swell with joy” (Isa.60:4,5).

One of the most beloved lyrics of all time says it simply the best — “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.” (Helen H. Lemmel, 1922)

My friend, look up. When everything around you seems to be going down — look up. If you will look up — the Lord will lift you up. So LOOK UP.

I’ll see you at the top!