I Lift My Eyes
Girl from Kujama, Nigeria (photograph by Trevor Irwin)
Today, I want to review an easy spiritual discipline that can really help put things in perspective—the practice of lifting up our eyes.
It is easy to walk through life with your head down. With your eyes on the ground, you can stay on task, focus on what is in front of you, and tune out almost everything else. And if you do that for long, you will develop the bad habit of not really seeing the world as it truly is.
“I lift my eyes to you,” writes the Psalmist (Psalm 123:1).
Have you done that today? Have you stopped and looked up to see the throne of our loving Father? Or has your nose been right at the grindstone?
You need to make the choice and stop. Breathe normally, but lift your eyes to the throne of heaven. It may feel unusual to think about praying with your eyes wide open, but when you enter a quiet moment like this, you will begin to see God’s world around you. If you feel distracted come back to the phrase, “I lift my eyes to you.” Stay here for 5 minutes.
Lift your eyes and see what happens to your soul.
wow, i have taken on a part time job that i love but today was full time!! so to read this as i sit down for the evening is great. thanks jason. don’t know if i emailed you or not, working with http://centerpeace.net/
we have our first conference in Sept. i will lift my eyes right now!! miss CS.
Thanks!! I spent about 1 hour lifting my eyes yesterday….to the Denver mountains, trees,….We are at my daughter’s house in Denver….helping get room ready for baby girl….We’ve also been watching male and female bird making nest in their blue spruce tree in front yard…Female does the work of bringing stuff to nest, and male sings, watches, stays with her at all times, protects nest….Really cool watching them….Life is full if we just take time for it…..
its good and simple. I’m noticing a theme here for your website. I’m lovin’ it man!
I have been able to lift my eyes in thanksgiving to my wonderful two AZ Grandsons who alternate taking me to my weekly trips for lab work. I use this an an opportunity to get to know them better. We lived far apart when they were small and I am so grateful to be able to have conversations one-on-one with them as they take turns with this weekly chore for me. My son takes me to the chemo sessions which can last several hours and we spend time catching up on the years we lived so far apart. So Blessings do come from things we normally consider trials and struggles in life.
My days here at my own daycare gives me such a privilege to simplicity. Each day not only do i look around at our amazing Father’s creation but i encourage the little one also to see what God has made. Thnaks for the insight.
Moses lifted up a bronze snake in the wilderness and those who lifted their eyes to it were healed. It was a metaphor of what Jesus would do. Paraphrasing, Jesus said that when He was lifted up He would draw all men to Himself. Note who is doing the looking and who is doing the drawing.