Heads-up! Who needs a holy facelift?

 

(Raising hand sheepishly.)

 Things are looking up – except when they’re not. Or perhaps more accurately, things are looking up when I am looking up.

 

How does everything improve when we look up, as in keeping our eyes on God, instead of on ourselves and our own concerns?

 First, here’s an important clarification. Our God is omnipresent. That means He is everywhere – not just up. When we talk about looking up towards God, we’re speaking physically, not geographically. We’re pointing to His higher honor, wisdom, nobility, strength, power, and dominion – not to any tangible destination that we could mark or measure.

 

OK, back to the original question: How does looking up improve our outlook?

 How does everything improve when we look up, as in keeping our eyes on God instead of ourselves and our own concerns?

 

Let’s start with a big basic biblical truth. God is the one who lifts our heads.

 We might say that God does all the heavy lifting, when it comes to building our faith and raising our spirits. (To be clear: the Lord does all the heavy lifting in every situation His children face. And whatever lifting we do, we only do because He equips and enables us to do so. That’s not a trite, coy, or cute statement. It’s the bedrock of our belief.)

 

Another important Scriptural truth is this: God lifts our heads when we bow them to worship Him. (This becomes clearer when we consider the Scriptures cited below.)

 King David wrote the third Psalm after his own rebellious son drove him away from his royal city. In hiding, David might have been described as keeping his head down. But his outlook was upward, as he covered his head to pray to the Lord.

 “Lord, how many are my foes! How many rise against me! Many are saying of me, ‘God will not deliver him. But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high. I call out to the Lord, and He answers me from His holy mountain” (Psalm 3:1-1, NIV, emphasis added).

 The Hebrew word וּמֵרִ֥ים (pronounced ū·mê·rîm) pertains to lifting, raising, elevating, exalting, extolling, offering up, or setting on high. The same word (or related derivatives) appears nearly 200 times in the Old Testament, including these spots:

 “The Lord is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation; He is my God, and I will praise Him; My father’s God, and I will exalt Him” (Exodus 15:2, NKJV, emphasis added).

 “All the gold of the offering which they offered up to the Lord, from the commanders of thousands and the commanders of hundreds, was 16,750 shekels” (Numbers 31:52, NASB, emphasis added).

 “The Lord makes some poor and others rich; He brings some down and lifts others up” (1 Samuel 2:7, NLT, emphasis added).

 “O, my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift my face to You, my God, for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has mounted up to the heavens” (Ezra 9:6, ESV, emphasis added).

 “Stand up and bless the Lord your God for ever and ever: and blessed be thy glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise.” (Nehemiah 9:5b, KJV, emphasis added).

 “And now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me; In His tent I will offer sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord” (Psalm 27:6, AMP, emphasis added).

 “Come, let us tell of the Lord’s greatness; let us exalt His name together” (Psalm 34:3, NLT, emphasis added).

 “Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at His sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy, I will sing and make music to the Lord. (Psalm 27:6, NIV, emphasis added).

 

Look up!

 I’m feeling better already. Are you encouraged by these holy verses too?

 Let’s wrap this up with a favorite Scripture that always give me a lift. I hope it will lift your spirit (and your head) as well.

“The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.” (Numbers 6:25-26, NKJV, emphasis added).

 Image/s: Public domain photo

 

Related items:

• 15 Handy Ways to Memorize Scriptures and Important Quotes
• A to Z Answers: Joy when the Journey Seems Junky
• Arms up or up in arms?
• Everyday Exceptions and Eternity’s Expectations
• Stick-necked or Soft-hearted?

 

Feel free to follow on Twitter. Don’t miss the Heart of a Ready Writer page on Facebook. You are invited to visit my Amazon author page as well.

Zion’s Daughter (Rejoice Greatly) – Hearty Hymns from A to Z

George Frideric Handel’s Messiah oratorio is one of the most recognized musical compositions in all of Christendom. The famous composer (1685-1759) drew lines largely from the Old Testament, and particularly from the Psalms and the prophetic book of Isaiah.

Although not technically a hymn, this recitative portion of Handel’s Messiah rings familiar:

 

Rejoice greatly,
O daughter of Zion Shout,
O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, thy King cometh unto thee!
He is the righteous Saviour,
And He shall speak peace unto the heathen.

Listen to First Call’s rendition of “Zion’s Daughter (Rejoice Greatly)”:

Image:

Created by this user with online generator

Feel free to follow on GooglePlus and Twitter. Don’t miss the Heart of a Ready Writer page on Facebook. You are invited to visit my Amazon author page as well.

Ye Servants of God, Your Master Proclaim – Hearty Hymns from A to Z

The famous English Methodist hymn-writer Charles Wesley (1707-1788) scribed these lyrics, which fit a tune by Johann M. Haydn (1737-1806).

You servants of God, your Master proclaim,
and publish abroad his wonderful name;
the name all-victorious of Jesus extol;
his kingdom is glorious and rules over all.

God rules in the height, almighty to save;
though hid from our sight, his presence we have;
the great congregation his triumph shall sing,
ascribing salvation to Jesus our King.

"Salvation to God, who sits on the throne!"
let all cry aloud, and honor the Son;
the praises of Jesus the angels proclaim,
fall down on their faces and worship the Lamb.

Then let us adore and give him his right:
all glory and power, all wisdom and might,
all honor and blessing with angels above
and thanks never ceasing for infinite love.

Listen to “Ye Servants of God”:

Image:

Created by this user with online generator

Feel free to follow on GooglePlus and Twitter. Don’t miss the Heart of a Ready Writer page on Facebook. You are invited to visit my Amazon author page as well.

eXult the Lord, His Praise Proclaim – Hearty Hymns from A to Z

With words from The Psalter of 1912, set to a melody by Franz J. Haydn (1732-1809), this traditional Christian hymn is a favorite of many. A few key lines are repeated, adding emphasis and familiarity to this creative expression of Psalm 135.

Exalt the Lord, His praise proclaim;
All ye His servants, praise His Name,
Who in the Lord’s house ever stand
And humbly serve at His command.
The Lord is good, His praise proclaim;
Since it is pleasant, praise His Name;
His people for His own He takes
And His peculiar treasure makes.

I know the Lord is high in state,
Above all gods our Lord is great;
The Lord performs what He decrees,
In heaven and earth, in depths and seas.
He makes the vapors to ascend
In clouds from earth’s remotest end;
The lightnings flash at His command,
He holds the tempest in His hand.

Exalt the Lord, His praise proclaim;
All ye His servants, praise His Name,
Who in the Lord’s house ever stand
And humbly serve at His command,
Forever praise and bless His Name,
And in the church His praise proclaim;
In Zion is His dwelling place;
Praise ye the Lord, show forth His grace.

Listen to the Children of Asaph singing “Exult the Lord, His Praise Proclaim”:

Image:

Created by this user with online generator

Feel free to follow on GooglePlus and Twitter. Don’t miss the Heart of a Ready Writer page on Facebook. You are invited to visit my Amazon author page as well.