Look Up.
Reconstruction of the Temple of Herod, Southeast Corner, James Tissot [public domain]
Dear Asher
This morning, in my prayer time, I was brought to Psalm 121. This is one of the first Psalms of ascent in the Bible. You can find the Psalms of Ascent in Psalms 120-134. These were the Psalms the Israelites sang while traveling to Jerusalem for the various feasts: Passover, Pentecost, and The Feat of Tabernacles.
Jerusalem was situated on a hill, and the ascent up to Zion was often difficult. They traveled by foot on rugged terrain in difficult weather, and sometimes, they traveled from long distances. For example, in King David’s day, the tribe of Asher would have had to travel 70 to 100 miles from their land in the northern part of Israel to get to Jerusalem.
And so, on the way to Jerusalem, they sang these Psalms of Ascent, preparing their hearts and helping them reflect on the holiness of God.
Psalm 121 is one of my favorite Psalms of Ascent.
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 121:1-8 NIV
Asher, as you go through this life, remember where your help comes from.
Your help comes from the Lord, the Maker.
This verse jumped off the page to me because we are creators.
You and I are makers.
You create through music and words, through joy and laughter. You create songs and writings. You create stories and characters through your acting. And sometimes, these things are hard. It’s hard to be a creator, to constantly pour out of yourself, to be open and vulnerable.
But remember, your help comes from the original Maker . . . The original Creator. The first thing we see God doing in Scripture is creating something out of nothing. (Genesis 1:1) In the beginning, God isn’t preaching, reprimanding, instructing, punishing, or healing. In the beginning, God is creating.
When you are stuck in a creative rut, Asher, lift your eyes. In life, we tend to look at the problems around us instead of looking at our Maker.
On the way to Jerusalem, those pilgrims would have been tempted to keep their eyes down on the road; watching out for rocks, holes, critters, branches, and hazards that could easily trip them up. But the Lord said, “Lift your eyes to the mountains.”
Asher,
As you create through your life, lift up your eyes.
Focus on Him.
Ask The Creator for unique and God-inspired ideas.
Seek Him in all your ways.
Let your prayer be, “Father, as I travel this path of life, help me to lift my eyes to You. Most merciful Redeemer, Friend, and Brother, may I know you more clearly, love you more dearly, and follow you more nearly, day by day.” (A prayer written by Saint Richard in the 1200’s. You may remember it a different way. 😉)
The Lord is watching over you, Asher, and has all of your life.
As you lift your eyes to your Maker, He will not let your foot slip.
He will guard your life and all that you create with your songs, words, and writings.
He will keep you from all harm.
Keep looking up, Buddy.
Keep looking up.