Look Up

Photo looking up at mountains by Kalen Emsley on Unsplash.

I scoured my kitchen cabinet for my chili powder. I’d started the meal on the stove, but couldn’t find the last spice. If I wanted the dish to taste good, I had to follow the recipe exactly.

After moving everything on the first two shelves that I could reach, I stood on tip toe to look at the third shelf. Still, I couldn’t find my elusive chili powder. I drug over a chair from the table and stood on it. This put me eye level with the third shelf. The chili powder appeared in the back corner, out of sight and reach from my position on the floor.

Some things I seek seem hard to find. I know they it exists, but where did my joy go? Where are the things that spice up my life and keep it interesting? When I focus on the things in front of me, I can miss what I need. Instead, I have to look up.

Psalm 121:1-2 says, “I will lift up my eyes to the hills— From whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth" (NKJV). When we look to God to provide our needs, He helps us find what we are searching for. He knows exactly where we left our joy and how to retrieve it. We find our needs, hopes, and desires met when we go to the Lord. He is our Helper and Provider.

Sometimes, we cannot see high enough on our own. That is when we need to enlist the prayers of others to petition God on our behalf. It’s like dragging the chair over to raise me to a higher plane. The prayers of the saints are powerful to reveal what God is doing in and through our lives. They give the perspective we need to see God at work, even when we’ve exhausted all our resources.

The next time you misplace your chili powder (or whatever your needs is) look up. The Lord will show you what you need when you lift your eyes to seek His face. He will provide your every need and heal your every hurt when you will look up to Him.

• What have you been looking for lately? Where have you been searching? How can you look to Jesus this week to fill your needs?