Going the Distance

Look Up
Thursday, November 21, 2019
by Dr. Paul Chappell

“I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.”

Psalm 121:1–5

The story goes that John Wesley was walking past a farm with a friend who was greatly troubled. As the friend poured out his struggles, Wesley listened with compassion. When he was done speaking, Wesley pointed to the cows in a nearby field and asked this question, “Why do the cows look over the stone fence?” After a moment his friend replied, “Because they can’t see through it.” Wesley then said, “So when you cannot see through your troubles, look over them. Look up to God.”

All of us know the feeling of being overwhelmed with trouble. David wrote, “Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul” (Psalm 69:1). In those moments when it seems like our burdens are more than we can bear and there is no way out, we must remember that God is still with us. He never takes a holiday. He never oversleeps. He never misses a plea for help. And when we cry out for Him, He always answers.

God knows what we need even before we ask Him. When we pray, we are not informing God of our situation. Instead, we are pouring out our hearts, asking Him to do what only He can do. God does not always work the way we prefer or the way we think He should. But God does always work what is best. We can confidently rest in His goodness and love for us, and look to Him in help without wondering if He will hear. God can be trusted in every situation.

Today's Growth Principle:
God never leaves or forsakes us, and we can always count on Him in times of trouble.

CURRENT RADIO SERIES Going the Distance   CURRENT TV SERIES A Life That Pleases God

First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world. --Romans 1:8 A little boy went outside one day to fly a kite. Never having flown a kite before, he had obvious doubts. But his father assured him that all was well, and the kite would go up as planned. As the boy unraveled the string and watched the kite go up, he was heard to say, “I knew it would fly. My daddy said it would!” As I think about the people who’ve impacted my life, I notice that every one of them had an unshakable faith in their Heavenly Daddy. While they often didn’t know or understand what exactly what might lay ahead, they trusted Him at every turn. That’s exactly what the apostle Paul treasured as well. Notice in today’s passage that the first thing he does is to thank God for the faith of the Roman Christians. Now this wasn’t just an initial faith that trusted in Christ. It was a faith that took risks – a famous faith. That’s what Paul prized… their faith. Some churches are famous for their preachers. Others are famous for their buildings, for their programs, or whatever. But rare is the church that is famous for its enduring faith. Be famous for yours and you’ll inspire others in theirs. AN ENDURING FAITH IS THE MOST IMPORTANT TRAIT YOU CAN HAVE. ENDURE IN YOUR FAITH AS A WATCHING WORLD LOOKS ON.