One of the special things most mornings bring is our reading, sharing together The Word and the Truths revealed to us as we linger over breakfast and coffee. Some mornings though with schedules and appointments, the time is unable to be shared together, but we both know even if one of us is not physically present we are still share in this time. Today happen to be one of those time alone mornings. And what a sweet Truth God revealed to me in the stillness of my surroundings.
For the last week or so, we’ve been reading through 1 Chronicles. I know most will probably react with the same questions that have rolled through my mind. “Why read through this book in the book in the Bible?” Afterall, it’s nothing but long lists of genealogy and the basic recording of events from Genesis through the kings of Judah, and the exile and the people returning to Jerusalem after the exile. It reads a lot like a history book, an ongoing account of events. In fact, much of what’s in Chronicles is repeated material from the earlier books. So much so my mind keeps asking, “Why does all this need to be repeated over again?” “Why do these people keep doing the same things over and over?” “Why don’t they learn from their past?” “Why? Why? Why?” I know God does all this for a reason. So the student in me wants to try to put all the facts and pieces together and figure out all the Whys. I want to focus on the horizontal look at this panoramic picture of the Old Testament.
But today was different. Today as the mind started to ask these same questions over again, the heart responded directly. The Lord was telling my heart to stop focusing on all the Whys and to look at the Who. At this time was it really important for me to know who was reigning and who ruling? Was it important to figure out who had absolute authority and why was this one overthrown, or that one dethroned? Was it important to question why these people kept doing the same things over and over? The Spirit told me to stop looking all across the pages – going backward and forwards . . . from one commentary to the next . . . and to look up.
So for today, my answer was right there as I looked up. Who was reigning and ruling? – GOD. Who has absolute authority? – GOD. Always has and always will. He has never been overthrown. He has always been on his throne and always will be. I was getting so caught up in looking at things horizontally, from the side-to-side, the back-and-forth, that I was forgetting to look up.
Today was different. Today reminded me that recently I’ve become so caught up in all the hoopla of the worldly things going on in my life, the lives of those ones I love and care deeply for, and the conundrum of details that seem to surround me. I’ve become caught up in all the horizontal details of life – all those nitty, gritty frustrations of the details of life that want me to take my eyes off Jesus.
Looking across, side-to-side, front-to-back is full of unknowns, of fears, what ifs, unrest, upheaval, distrust and discontent. Looking across and around is mucky and off-center. I can’t truly gaze if I’m looking horizontally. He tells me to put down the hoopla of the world. To not fret over the horizontal details of life that really do not matter – those details that want to pull me down, to pull me apart, to pull me away. He tells me those things do not matter because He is on His throne. He will not step down, nor will He be pushed aside. He IS in control.
He has all my details covered because He knows my story. Seeing all my details, He moves in His own time and at His own pace. I need to stop looking across at all the earthly details and fretting over the earthly “kings” that change at the drop of a hat. He calls to me, “Daughter, look up to Me, your Heavenly King. I have all the details of your life covered. Surrender them all to me and leave them at the foot of the Cross and at the foot of My throne. The one and only throne that has never or will ever change.”
Yes, today is different. Looking up and over the page. I fix my gaze – I see the One that is unchangeable, full of grace and mercy and peace. Looking up is transformational.