Born To Look Up - No. 156

Psalm 5:3, “I will look up.”

It is an amazing fact, yet hard to comprehend, that we are created in the image and likeness of God. We were created to reveal what God is like through our nature, but also through our physical body. God designed our body to function in the way He functions without a body. Although God does not have a body, He can see, hear, smell, touch and speak, just as He created us to do. Whenever God appeared visibly to mankind, he did in the form of a human body. And wondrously, God prepared a human body for His own precious son, “made in the likeness of men” just as man was made “in the likeness of God.” (Philippians 2:7 and Genesis 1:26)

Another interesting factor is the way God created our physical body. He did not create us to walk on all fours like the animals, but created us with an upright posture. We were born to look up, to have an upward gazing countenance. God did not intend his highest creation to grovel in the dust and to be bowed down with depression and defeat. He created us with an erect carriage, a posture that enables us to look up to Him, a posture that gives expression to freedom and positivity.

God wants you to walk with your head held high. He wants you to turn your thoughts to Him, your heart to Him and your face to Him.

Leviticus 26:13 says, “I am the Lord your God, ,which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, that ye shall not be their bondmen; and I have broken the bands of your yoke, and made you go upright”

The RSV says, “Made you walk erect.”

The NLT says, “So you can walk free with your heads held high.”

The children of Israel walked erect with their heads held high because they were free men, no longer slaves to Egypt. Not only did God create us free, with the command to rule and reign, but when sin came in and we became enslaved to its power, God sent a Redeemer to deliver us. Once again, through the power of the cross, we are set free to walk with our heads held high.

The psalmist says in Psalm 34:5, “They looked unto him and were radiant, and their faces were not ashamed.” The Knox translation says, “Ever look to Him… no room for downcast looks.” When your head sags, He is waiting to lift it up. He is the lifter of your head. (Psalm 3:3) You will never be ashamed when you look up to the Lord. Your face will brighten. Make it the habit of your life. It is what you were created to do.

We are often encouraged in the Psalms to wait upon the Lord. Did you know that this word also means to look to the Lord? Some scholars believe that the word ‘wait’ (quvah) has two roots:

1) To bind together by twisting, to be joined

2) To expect, to look for patiently, hope, be confident. This Hebrew word quvah is translated ‘wait’ over 30 times, but the same word is translated ‘look’ over 14 times.

Psalm 27:14 says, “Wait (quvah) on the Lord, be of good courage and he shall strengthen thine heart, wait, I say on the Lord.” If you want your heart strengthened, you must look up the Lord in expectancy. This is what gives courage to your heart, physically and spiritually.

Check your posture today. Are you walking erect? Is your head held high? Is your face upturned to the Lord?

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL

Prayer:

“Lord, I thank you that you created me to look up to you. You are my strength and motivation for living. Hallelujah.”

 

Affirmation:

I look to you and worries cease

And now my heart is filled with peace!