Lifting Up Our Eyes Beyond The Troubles That Surround Us

 Lifting Up Our Eyes

I recently read again the story of Jesus when he went to the tomb where his friend Lazarus was buried, spoke a command, and Lazarus came back to life. 

Jesus had seemed to unnecessarily delay His coming to help His good friends but when He got there, Jesus kept reassuring them that He had the solution they needed. 

They just couldn’t see what Jesus knew and trust what He was telling them because it was so far beyond what they expected and they kept on crying and grieving.

During this intense time of aggravation, sorrow, misunderstanding, and even accusation, what did Jesus do?  He lifted up his eyes and spoke to His father.  He did it out loud, not because He had to for His own sake but for the sake of others around Him. 

Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”

John 11:41-42

I was challenged when I read this to consider my own response to the times when I feel surrounded by troubles.

My prayer for myself and for all of us is that we would have the kind of faith and trust in the goodness of our Heavenly Father that Jesus had

and that we would lift our eyes above our challenges and our sometimes heavy emotions, and thank God because we know He hears us, always hears us, and has brought us to this time to show His glory so others will come to put their faith and trust in Him. 

And so God, I think I’ve already begun the prayer when I just said that we need the same kind of faith and trust in your goodness that Jesus had when He stayed in such close contact with You, that He knew when and how to act – and had complete faith that You would act.

We often experience pain and sorrow and frustration in our days. To the average onlooker it might seem like we have been abandoned to our troubles and that there’s no hope for us. 

But that is NOT the case.  We thank You today God that You always hear us and You are ready and willing to work in us and through us to bring about Your blessing in the lives of those who are in trouble and sorrow today. 

We pray for faith and strength to keep lifting up our eyes to You, trusting that You will do things in such a way that we will even be filled with joy.  Amen