I will lift up my eyes

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. – Psalm 121v1-2

As weary travellers returned on the dusty roads of Judea they would be eagerly looking for the hills surrounding Jerusalem. Eventually they would come into view and they would see the beautiful city of Jerusalem and be encouraged to carry on until they reached home. The simple vision of Jerusalem would give them to courage to go on.

To the psalmist this was a clear picture of a spiritual truth. As they looked to the hills he asked himself the question ‘Where do I find my help?’

That question should give each of us cause to stop and reflect. Where do we look for our help? Do we look to our own strength and abilities? Do we look, like these travellers, to the safety of our homeland? Do we look to our bank accounts? Do we look to our political leaders?

Loving politics like I do, that last one catches my eye. Some Christians seem to think that if the ‘wrong’ politicians are elected then we are ruined, all hope is gone, and that life is really not worth living anymore. More time is spent fretting over political results than our service for the Lord. More effort is expended in the political arena than in the work of God.

But enough of that. The question remains ‘Where do I look for help?

The psalmist’s answer? ‘Me help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.’ When we look at it that way it only makes sense. Who else would we look to for help when we can look to the One who created both heaven and earth? Who can help if He can’t? Is He worth trusting? Is He strong enough to be our help? He is wise enough? Does He have the discretion to know how to help?

If we sense ourselves as helpless it is quite possible that our eyes our looking in the wrong place. We are looking down and around when we should be lifting up our eyes.