Wednesday, January 19, 2011

The View Up and Down Here


By Brenda Black

Do you find it hard to be amazed these days? It's understandable when the term awesome has been reduced to sidewalk jargon for slick skateboard moves and wonder is defined best as the side-to-side head shaking a parent uses when pondering their teen's latest cell phone bill. We've lost the wow factor once reserved for the supernatural by the overload on our mind and emotions in this busy world, not to mention the total infatuation and over-estimated perception of ourselves. Maybe that's why I was awestricken and humbled when I took the time to size up this big planet and right-size myself compared to it. A couple of hours in a window seat on a plane did the trick for me.

I asked myself some tough questions as I stared down at hair thin rivers and sections of land interlaced together like miniature puzzle pieces. The shear enormity of sky and earth viewed from up above quietly put me in my place and left me wondering just what does the Lord see when He looks down on me.

I'm just a speck in the grand scheme of things. How can His love be so personal, tangible and present from far above in Heaven? He knows my name. He traces my face with the same finger that fashioned the entire human race and every created being on land, in sea, in air, in time and space.

God on high is the God here below. He is ever near, totally here as much as He is there. And that still amazes me! I'm never alone, never forgotten, always loved and valued. Though I am but a speck on the planet, I'm still the apple of His eye and He sees me with divine supervision.

Every move I make, every breath I take, every thought I ponder. Every hurt or joy I harbor is seen by the heart of my Heavenly Father.

Where can I go, what can I do to ever make Him blind to my place or position? How can I hide, why should I lie when I need nothing more than to abide.

Right here in my humble existence. Right here in total confidence. Right here on my little, tiny, miniscule, corner of earth is where I'm sought by a Father, bought by a Redeemer and helped by the Holy Spirit. What does the Lord see when He looks down on me? His child, an heir to the King.

Now let me tell you, my only glory, my only worth, my only purpose or pride is in the fact that the God of all is Lord of my life. I can't accept any other logic for thinking that anything I could do would make one ounce of difference if it weren't for the Lord's hand in it. If the mansions built by man are mere flickers of light to the eyes of a traveler flying across the night sky, then the one who poured the foundation and the one who built the walls are even less significant unless they understand the bigger picture. “Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain.” (Psalm 127:1)

It's time for a new perspective, a heavenly vision of the order of the universe. God is God and I am not. He is on the throne and He is in charge. He blesses and guides and heals and helps with an almighty hand and outstretched arms. And He does it solely out of love for this itsy bitsy humanity who get too full of ourselves and too busy to stop and take note that there is a Creator worthy of awe. He alone is holy and righteous. God is bigger than all of us rolled together, yet cares enough for every single one of us right here, right now, down here.

The best way I've discovered to get a clear vision for the wonder of and the wonders brought by a Holy God is to see the view down here from up there. It's amazing!

“I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene. And wonder how He could love me, a sinner, condemned, unclean. How marvelous! How wonderful! And my song shall ever be: How marvelous! How wonderful is my Savior's love for me!” (My Savior's Love, Charles H. Gabriel)

Up, up and away! It's time we again were amazed.


copyright 2011

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