This week I’m headed down to Falls Creek Youth Camp for what’s expected to be an incredible week! I’m super stoked to teach over a dozen times from now til Friday! I’m also hoping to play a little ping-pong, maybe a volleyball or game or two and snag an icee as well.
In my talks throughout this week we are going to be looking at just one set of passages. Psalm 121.
I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord watches over you— the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life;
8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
That’s it. 8 Verses. 113 words. 435 characters that I believe will provide the students with inspiration, protection, confidence, courage, and ultimately HOPE. My prayer is that they leave this week believing without a shadow of a doubt that God will NEVER leave their side.
Each night I’m going to challenge the students to memorize two verses from Psalm 121 building up to Friday when we can hopefully as a cabin, recite the whole chapter together. My challenge for YOU today is to join us. Why not?? If they can do it, you can do it! So each day why don’t you work on memorizing two verses and see if you can recite the entire chapter to your spouse or a friend come Friday.
Just like the students I’ll be teaching this week, you may have a pretty crazy week ahead of you. So as you kick off your Monday I want you to focus on just the first 5 words of this chapter… “I LIFT UP MY EYES.”
Say it with me… I LIFT UP MY EYES.”
This is the challenge for you today. Get your head up! Lift your eyes and set your gaze on God. Get your posture positioned correctly from day one of this week.
For some of you, you’re coming off a brutal weekend. Shoot maybe it’s been a tough summer or an especially difficult year. You may feel beaten down, depressed, angry or just worn out.
Regardless of what you’re facing, our spiritual posture is a often direct reflection of our level of faith.
Are you looking down…depressed, regretful, scared?
Are looking back… unable to let go of the past, fixated on what someone did or said to you?
Are you gazing off into the future… afraid of what it will hold, how you’ll survive. Asking…will I be accepted, successful, happy?
The challenge of the day is simple. No matter what direction you are facing as you enter into this week I want you to stop and LIFT YOUR EYES!
Lift your eyes to God as a an act of surrender.
Lift your eyes to tell God you are willing to hear what He needs to tell you.
Lift your eyes to get your focus off your past.
Lift your eyes and stop gazing out into the future.
Lift your eyes and quit walking through life looking down. You’re going to run into something! And its gonna hurt.
Lift your eyes and start believing that you are worth the grace, mercy, forgiveness and ultimately the FREEDOM that God is ready to bestow on you this week.
Lift your eyes and confidently walk through this week knowing that God loves you just the way you are. That He is going to protect you, that He cares for you, that He has forgiven you, that He is making a way for your future and that this is going to be the best week of your life!
LIFT YOUR EYES!