Pastor Sam Crosby
San Saba’s First Baptist Church
April 14, 2020
The nature park is beautiful. The creek and river are running strong, with fish occasionally surfacing to feed. The flowers are blooming and grass is thick. The trees have put on new leaves. I find myself continually looking up as I walk the path. It is beauty on display from God and a reminder that He is still in control of it all.
The Psalmist said, “I will lift up my eyes to the hills – from whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth” (Psalm 121:1-2). The hills declare that God is in control. The One who made heaven and earth watches over me.
Isaiah encouraged people to look up at the sky at night. He declared, “Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name” (Isaiah 40:26). The night heavens display the power of God in the stars. Though scientist speculate as to the number of them all, the heavens stretch beyond our reach even with the most powerful telescope. God calls them each by name and He knows yours, as well.
Jesus described end time events and His return in the midst of chaos. He said, “And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near” (Luke 21:25-28).
Our current pandemic is a minor thing compared to what is coming. Our world one day will experience events that will leave men’s hearts perplexed and scared beyond what we are experiencing now. Even then, the follower of Jesus Christ is to live with confidence and peace. We are to look up with expectation for the second coming of Jesus Christ!
In a conversation about the end of time and the crises that are promised in the Bible, my father gave me a word of wisdom. He told me the Bible never instructs us to look for trouble or tribulation. The Lord never told His disciples to continually be on the look out for distressful circumstances or events. Jesus, though, more than once, instructed us to look for His coming. If you are looking for trouble then you live with anxiety and worry. If you are looking for Jesus, though, you live with peace and hope regardless of the circumstance.
Keep looking up. Look up in faith. Look up in prayer. Look up with hope. Look up with peace. Live life looking up.