To you I lift up my eyes.

 

Saturday, December 23, 2023


Psalms 123; 130

Isaiah 26:1-19

Revelation 22:6-13


To you I lift up my eyes.


There is a very useful piece of motherly advice that encourages young men to be better at self-censorship when choosing what media to consume. It is the fact that once you see something, you cannot get that image out of your brain. This sage advice forms a principle that can be extended further and it is revealed in another piece of elderly wisdom: you are what you eat.


The Christian has been given the divine imperative to ensure their own spiritual well-being. If we look at things that are rotten, evil and disgusting, then that influence will rub off on us. But if we turn our eyes to that which is beautiful, noble and live-giving, then that is what we turn into.


Often we cannot help the evil influence of the world, the flesh and the devil. Our home is elsewhere, in that perfect paradise. Here, we are surrounded on all sides by forces that hate God. Therefore, every step, every blink is fraught with danger.


But God is always with us, encouraging us, refreshing us, cleansing us. He has given us the greatest aid to help us achieve His command, that we think only of the good. And that aid is the gift of Himself in the Lord Jesus.


These Psalms form a part of the songbook containing songs of ascent. They are songs that were sung by pilgrims as they made their way to the ancient city of Jerusalem to celebrate various festivals of God. We still sing them today, and because we live on the other side of the cross, the deeper meaning of these songs are beginning to be revealed. Singing them as we read through the final part of the book of Revelation shows us the rich beauty of this deeper meaning.


The Lord Jesus is sitting on His throne, resting His feet on His enemies, waiting for the day when His Father and our Father will call out for the final trumpet to be blown, bringing about the creation of the perfect and new Jerusalem. Then, we will look up to see Him riding on His clouds of glory and that city will be revealed. But even in the meantime, all we need to do is to lift up our eyes to the Lord Jesus, and He will wipe away our tears and inspire His peace in our soul.


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


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