Unto you I lift my eyes
Unto You I lift up my eyes, O You who dwell in the heavens.
Psalm 123:1 (NKJV)
Target fixation is something that I began as I started riding motorcycles. As one of my instructors candidly described it: ‘You will drive your bike towards whatever you’re looking at even if you’re trying to avoid it.’ If I focus and worry about an incoming pothole, then I will surely run over that pothole.
Such is life. We worry about our adversities, our life’s road hazards, because it’s a threat. It’s difficult, painful, and it causes fear. As much as we want to steer clear and find a better way to conquer them, our fear—in effect—makes us focus on them instead.
Unto you I lift my eyes. We declare our intention to lift our eyes to the Lord and not on our circumstances. If we had to fixate on a target, it would be him.
O You who dwell in the heavens. By remembering the nature of God, we grow in trust and confidence. Earth may provide no mercy or help, but heaven has plenty. We are able to focus on God because we trust in him.
As we navigate the streets of our lives, may we remember that worrying about our adversities doesn’t help us overcome them. The ‘potholes’ of life won’t magically disappear, but focusing on the Lord draws us toward a path that brings us closer to him and helps us better overcome life’s road hazards.
Prayer
Lord, thank you that we can trust you and direct our attention to you. You rid us of our worries, you set our hearts free from fear. We humbly ask for help to lift our eyes unto you always so that we are directed towards a path that draws us near to you. In Jesus’s name, Amen.
Study by Justin Dedrick “Dids” Raduban
First published on 7 June 2023 in GCI Update Devotionals https://update.gci.org
Justin Dedrick “Dids” Raduban is a member of the Hope Avenue Team, Grace Communion International, Santa Rosa City, Laguna, Philippines
Local congregation:
You are welcome to attend one of our local church congregations located throughout the UK and Ireland. For details of your nearest local congregation, check on our website, www.gracecom.church under the ‘Churches’ tab, or ring +44 (0)1858 437099.
Word of Life contact:
wordoflife@gracecom.church