I Lift Up My Eyes

I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you—the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. Psalm 121 (NIV)

What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations. Psalm 104:24 (MSG)

As we drove through the Appalachian Mountains this summer, I was struck by their awesome majesty and beauty. In fact, when I look at any of God's beautiful creations—like the rolling plains of the Midwest or the sprawling beaches of the coast—my heart swells with wonder and thankfulness. But there's something about the mountains that stirs even stronger feelings. As I behold their magnificent peaks, I feel humbled. I realize that the same God that created tiny little me, also created those massive mountains. They're so lofty, they almost seem to touch heaven....reminding me of our God, who is even higher and mightier than they. 

When I see mountains, my mind is drawn to the Psalm above: “I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from?” Sometimes we forget where our help comes from. Our heads are down, focused on our worries and troubles. We should lift up our eyes to God, the same way we lift up our eyes to view the mountains. When we do, God lifts our hearts....encouraging us, comforting us and giving us hope. How reassuring it is to remember that wherever we go, his protection is always with us.  Whether on the highest mountain or in deepest valley, we're surrounded by his powerful love...a love infinitely larger than those massive, protective walls of granite.

Prayer: Almighty God, forgive us for the times we have our heads down, lost in our worries. Thank you for your magnificent mountains, that can remind us to lift up our eyes to you, and rely on your powerful love. Please give us the strength we need to do this daily—especially when there are no mountains in sight. Amen.

Sharon Irvin