Lift Up Your Eyes 举目仰望

[Dexu Xia]

Lift Up Your Eyes

My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. Psalm 121:2

The clouds hung low, blocking the horizon and limiting visibility to only a few hundred yards. The minutes dragged on. The effect on my mood was noticeable. But then, as afternoon approached, the clouds began to break, and I saw it: beautiful Pikes Peak, the most recognizable landmark of my city, flanked on each side by the mountain range. A smile broke over my face. I considered that even our physical perspective—our literal line of sight—can affect our spiritual vision. And I was reminded of the psalmist singing, “I lift up my eyes to the mountains” (Psalm 121:1). Sometimes we simply need to lift our eyes a bit higher!

The psalmist pondered where his help came from, maybe because the hilltops around Israel were dotted with altars to pagan gods and often contained robbers. Or it could have been because the psalmist looked up beyond the hills to Mount Zion where the temple stood and remembered that the Maker of heaven and earth was his covenant God (v. 2). Either way, to worship we must look up. We have to lift our eyes higher than our circumstances, higher than our troubles and trials, higher than the empty promises of the false gods of our day. Then we can see the Creator and Redeemer, the One who calls us by name. He’s the One who will “watch over your coming and going” today and forevermore (v. 8).

How can you “look up” today—beyond your circumstances—to see God? What would it look like to call upon Him for the help you really need?

Dear Father, thank You that You’re the Creator and Keeper—the One who made the heavens and the earth and watches over me. Help me to lift my eyes higher to see You and to put my trust in You.

向上看

我的帮助从造天地的耶和华而来。—诗篇121篇2节

云幕低垂，挡住了地平线，并使能见度仅有几百公尺。时间慢慢地过去，这阴霾的天气对我情绪的影响显而易见。但是，午后时分，云层渐渐散开，我看到了美丽的派克峰（Pikes Peak），还有两侧相连的山脉。这是我居住的城市最知名的地标。我脸上露出微笑并深刻体会到，眼睛所见的事物或视线所及，都会影响我们的属灵眼光。我不禁想到诗人吟唱：“我要向山举目”（诗篇121篇1节）。的确，有时候，我们只需要稍微向上看，抬高视线！

诗人思想他的帮助从何而来，也许是因为以色列周围的山顶上遍布供奉外邦神祇的祭坛，而且常有强盗出没。也可能是因为诗人举目远眺，望向圣殿矗立的锡安山，并记起那位创造天地的主宰是那位与人立约的上帝（2节）。

无论如何，当我们敬拜上帝时都必须举目仰望。我们必须抬高视线，甚至高于我们的环境、各种困难与试炼，以及这世代的假神虚无飘渺的承诺。然后，我们就可以看到那位造物主和救赎主，那位按每个人的名字呼唤我们的主。祂是那位“你出你入”都“要保护你，从今时直到永远”的上帝（8节）。

今天你如何不看目前的景况，专心仰望上帝？
当你求告上帝，向祂求助时，结果如何？

亲爱的天父，谢谢祢，祢是造物主、保护者，
也是创造天地、看顾我的上帝。
求祢帮助我能抬高视线，仰望并信靠祢。