Lift Up Your Eyes and See

I’ve been reading through Genesis and loved reading again story after story of God’s faithfulness to His people.

It’s always surprising how a new reading of an old book can reveal new things. While I am no scholar, I do enjoy tracking certain themes like “covenant” or “be fruitful and multiply” or “descendants.”

One phrase I’ve been reflecting on is “lifted his eyes and looked” or “I lifted my eyes and saw.”

• In Genesis 18:2 “Abraham lifted his eyes and looked” when three men stood at his tent door, one maybe being the LORD, to tell him he that Sarah would have a child in their old age.
• When Abraham had Isaac on the altar, after God stopped him from sacrificing Isaac, it says in Genesis 22:13-14, “Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns.” God provided a substitute sacrifice (and a picture of things to come through Jesus’ sacrifice for us)!
• In Genesis 24:63-64, Isaac went out to meditate in the field and “lifted his eyes and looked“; Rebekah also “lifted her eyes” as God had provided a wife for Isaac.
• In Genesis 31:10, Jacob said, “I lifted my eyes and saw in a dream. . .” and in the dream, the Angel of God said to Jacob, “Lift your eyes now and see. . .” as God provided and increased Jacob’s herd and blessed him with continued wealth.

It has made me wonder what I would see if I would just lift up my eyes and look, if I would remove my eyes from the circumstances around me and look up to God and allow Him to provide for the need at hand.

I’ve been sensing His leading so clearly lately: “be quiet, be silent, be still, look up at Me, I will act for you, I will provide, wait for Me, trust Me.” It’s hard for me to sometimes do these things, but I look forward to seeing what God will do as I look to Him for His power and strength. In the midst of it, He also convicts and draws my heart. I am thankful.