Psalm 121:1-2 | Look Up
I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
Psalm 121:1-2 ESV
It’s easy to become consumed with the cares of the world. Jesus taught us about the dangers of this in the parable of the seeds in Matthew 13:22 ESV, saying, “As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.”
In this parable, our goal is to become good soil. When we are good soil, the word of God finds a root in it, and it grows into a harvest of righteousness and freedom.
The Christians with the best soil are the ones who learn to rely on God. Psalm 121 is an excellent example of the invitation to depend on God for our needs. So often, when facing trials and struggles, we turn to our own devices and solutions to find a way out. It’s possible that our knee-jerk reaction to difficulty is to think that we are less worthy of a relationship with God. A religious spirit will train us that we need to become holy before coming to God. The gospel teaches us that we can’t become holy until we come to God.
Seeking help doesn’t have to have anything to do with sin. We face all kinds of challenges where we need help. Today, I’m asking for God’s help just to get caught up on school and work and serve my family. I believe this posturing is what produces good soil in my spiritual life.
I love Psalm 121 because it helps me prophetically enact a life of dependence on God. On their journey to Jerusalem, the early Israelites would look up at the hills and mountains and remember that their help came from the Lord, who made these wonders.
I live on the midwestern plains, so there aren’t any mountains or hills to look up to. Still, I can look up and direct my attention toward the heavens, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. This simple shift in posture reminds my soul that my greatest hope is in the presence, power, and provision of a generous God.
Look up. God is your help.
Abiding happens daily in his presence. Abiding Daily is a simple and practical reminder to stay connected to the vine. Each prompt is inspired from the scriptures and designed to point you toward prayer and encounter. You can follow us on Facebook and Instagram. To get the Daily Invitation sent to you every day click this link or text “Daily” to +1 (779) 237-3914.
