Genesis 13:14 (NASB) 14 The LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, "Now lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward;
O.K. I did NOT sign on for 9 degrees! Did you get that? It isn't in my contract and I quit. So there!
I had to vent. Man it is COLD out there isn't it? I actually saw someone riding a scooter yesterday. I mean c'mon man. At any rate, despite living in an icebox it has been a good week. Shelley and I went to the Mexican restaurant this week and my message was born over chips and salsa. The menus arrived and as I always do, I enquired as to what Shelley was going to order. After the required "I don't know," she settled on her regular chicken fajita nachos. I then made the bold statement"Why don't you expand your horizons? Try something else. You like chili rellenos. Why don't you order those?" After some back and forth she stayed with the nachos. I ventured out with the steak fajita nachos and it was instantly brought to my attention that I ALWAYS ordered the steak nachos. Upon being exposed for my blatant hypocrisy, I quietly nixed my demands and relished the steak nachos ONCE AGAIN! LOL.
We are creatures of habit aren't we? You add to that the pressures and problems of this life and it becomes easy to get bogged down. You know the feeling. Walking on a treadmill, running around in
a maze...we've all been there. We get stuck in a rut and we develop tunnel vision. All we can see is a very dim light if we can see any light at all. I had conversations with a couple of different people this week and I woke up today with this verse on my mind. In the above verse, Abraham had settled in the land after Lot had left. Now, I don't know whether Abraham was in a rut or not, but, God told him to "lift up his eyes and look.." The phrase that came to my mind was 'widen your gaze.' God then told Abraham to take a hike and walk the length and breadth of the land. He moved him out of his zone if you will to see the land that He was going to give him. Abraham was able to see beyond his present surroundings and circumstances. He was able to widen his gaze.
It occurred to me that in our contemporary world and in much of our Christian culture, phrases such as those above....expand your horizons, widen your gaze translate into one idea. The pursuit of more. More money, more homes, more cars, etc., etc., just more. You gettin' my drift? Now don't get me wrong on this. There is nothing wrong with working hard and pursuing dreams and goals. The Bible speaks to providing for your own the best that you can. But, many times that pursuit starts to feed upon itself and before long becomes a taskmaster. It is no longer a pursuit of ours; instead it is driving us to obtain more and more; it can and will enslave us. The tail begins to wag the dog. As the wise sage Ferris Bueller once said 'life moves fast, if you don't stop and look around once in a while, you just might miss it.' (That's not a direct quote, but it is close enough. smile)
"I've got your back." The Lord has spoken that phrase many, many times to me in the last year or two. I think that He might be trying to teach me something here. Look at this.
Luke 12:31-34 (NASB) 31 "But seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you.
32 "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.
33 "Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves money belts which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near nor moth destroys.
34 "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Look at verse 33. Now, Jesus has never once told me to sell everything that I have. I believe that He has spoken that to many people in the past; but, He has never spoken that to me. But, it's the idea that He's trying to get across isn't it? Ronnie, widen your gaze. Don't let the issues of life and your inability to solve them enslave you. Don't keep moving in your own strength, all it is going to do is wear you out. Widen your gaze. RONNIE! I'VE GOT YOUR BACK!!
The demands of this life can be brutal. The world will suck you dry. It is a never ending tug-of-war. Trying to give it all to God, then taking it all back. Believe me, I know. I have first hand knowledge. If you can get off the treadmill, if you can break out of the maze, you will be ahead of the game. Try and enjoy what is left of life. Lose that tunnel vision and lift up your eyes. Seek His kingdom first and all these things will be added to you. WIDEN YOUR GAZE. HE'S GOT YOUR BACK.
Psalm 126:1-6 (NASB) 1
2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter And our tongue with joyful shouting; Then they said among the nations, "The LORD has done great things for them."
3 The LORD has done great things for us; We are glad.
4 Restore our captivity, O LORD, As the streams in the South.
5 Those who sow in tears shall reap with joyful shouting.
6 He who goes to and fro weeping, carrying his bag of seed, Shall indeed come again with a shout of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.
God Bless
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