What is the first thing you notice about a
person? Some would say the color of their
hair, their stature or even their weight. I must
admit that I am immediately drawn to the
eyes. Perhaps this is why I like the statement,
"The eye is the window of the soul." It was
Benjamin Franklin who related this good
thought, "Learn to be gracious with the eyes;
look deep into their eyes, and say with your
eyes, 'I like you.'"

I especially enjoy looking into the eyes of
children. Often I find myself wanting to get
down to their level since they, above all, have
that gentle, yet intense and honest way of
looking directly into our eyes. They have
discovered a secret which sometimes gets lost
as they move into adulthood -- it is this, the
eyes reveal so much. Perhaps it's the child in
me, but conversation seems more personal
when I am able to look into the eyes of the one
with whom I am conversing. There seems to
be an openness in communication when we
can express our thoughts through our eyes as
well as by our words.

The eyes also can be a barometer revealing
the state of our health. Doctors, for instance,
look into the eyes when one is sick, and
ophthalmologists detect many bodily illnesses
the same way. The Bible has much to say
about the eyes. The writer of Proverbs speaks
of the bloodshot eyes of those who drink
(Proverbs 23:28, 29). In fact, there are 499
references to eyes, and 98 to the eye in God's
Word. Since God has given such prominence
and importance to the eye gate, Satan, with all
of his sly and cunning ways brought sin into
the world by persuading Eve to look and then
partake of the forbidden fruit (Gen. 3:5-7).

God often speaks of His own eyes. How
comforting it is to know that His eyes are
lovingly upon us. For the eyes of the Lord run to
and fro throughout the whole earth, to show
himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart
is perfect toward him (2 Chronicles 16:9 --
also notice Deuteronomy 11:12; Job 34:21;
and Psalm 33:18).

Why are our eyes so important? It is
because what we see goes into our emotions
(the soul). The light of the soul is what gives
understanding, sound judgment, and the
ability to discern between good and evil, truth
and falsehood. Jesus spoke of this: The light of
the body is the eye; therefore when thine eye is
single (a clear conscience), thy whole body is full
of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also
is full of darkness. Take heed therefore that the
light which is in thee be not darkness (Luke
11:34, 35).

Walking Visuals

What do others see when looking at us? If
they are to be rightly influenced, how
important it is that what they see is God-like.
We are walking visuals. The Apostle Paul
cautioned that we should be careful how we
walk, not as unwise, but as wise, redeeming the
time because the days are evil (Ephesians 5:15, 16).

I heard the story of a little girl who told her
pastor she knew Jesus and was saved. "Which
one of my sermons brought you to Christ?" he
asked. "It wasn't your preaching, it was my
aunt's practicing," she responded.

Indeed! What we do and say is being
noticed. Man looketh on the outward
appearance (I Samuel 16:7). That's why we are
to let our light so shine before mankind, that
they may see our good works, and glorify our
Father which is in heaven (Matt. 5:16).

On one occasion, when the Apostle Paul
was accused of being a troublemaker, stirring
up riots among the Jews and a ringleader of
the "Nazarene sect," he stood before his
accusers and Governor Felix saying, "I strive to
always have a conscience without offense
toward God and man" (see Acts 24:16). What
a wonderful way to live!

With all the discouraging news in the world
today, seeming inconsistencies in the lives of
those around us, and despair on the faces of
millions of people, which way can we look to
find peace and satisfaction?

Three Different Directions

We can look in three different directions:
(1) Backward, to be discouraged; (2) outward,
to be disheartened; and (3) upward, to be
delighted.

Backwards:

More often than not, looking back leads to
defeat and discouragement and possibly self
destruction like Lot's wife. We have a good
biblical example in the Apostle Paul, who said,
Forgetting those things which are behind, and
reaching forth unto those things which are before,
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high
calling of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:13, 14).

God can be counted on to give a silver
lining to our dark clouds if we'll begin looking
forward. A friend has written: "Let your life
be a statement, more than your words, that
Someone else is in charge. Let your demeanor
reflect quality inner control, stability that
comes from knowing and accepting that God
is in charge. In God's perfect timing wrongs
will be righted, circumstances will change, He
will come to your rescue. To believe this is to
move ahead and live with hope."

I have been asked, "How do you forget the
bad times, the hurts, the injustices?" My
response is that we can't blot out the past, but
forgetting means not allowing the past to
affect the present.

We can put whatever has hurt us under the
blood of Christ. We can forget by imitating
the way Christ forgives us -- just as if it never
occurred (Hebrews 8:12).

Outward:

As one looks around at the world today, he
or she could become disheartened and
disillusioned. The world is in a mess. Just pick
up the newspaper, or turn on the evening news
and it's enough to disturb any thinking person.

How do we avoid the disillusionment and
anxiety? David the psalmist said, It will not
fasten its grip on me (see Psalm 101:3). There
you have it; don't allow it to grasp hold of
your thinking.

What does God say? He tells us to cast our
burdens on Christ (I Peter 5:7). We are human
and feel concern, but we can turn it over to
Him saying, "God, this is too big for me to
handle." By keeping our eyes on Jesus and the
eternal truths of God's word, we will be
focusing our attention on that which enables
us to handle all the bad things happening
around us (see Hebrews 12:2).

Upward:

Remember what David the psalmist said? I
will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence
cometh my help (Psalm 121:1). This is surely
the only direction to look for help, comfort,
and yes, for delight in our souls and lives. We
can bring our thirsty and wilting minds and
bodies to the everlasting well of water, Jesus
Christ Himself (John 4). All He asks is that we
keep looking up, and as we do, look forward to
an eternity with Him. Let us pray this
beautiful prayer of the psalmist, I will direct
my prayer unto thee, and will look up (Psalm 5:3).

I WILL LIFT UP MINE EYES

UNTO THE HILLS...

-- Psalm 121:1

It's amazing how often I am awakened in
the middle of the night and find myself
thanking and praising God for all of His grace,
mercy and blessings. Recently, I have found
myself, in that quiet time of the early
morning, reminiscing about my happy
childhood. How very grateful I am to the Lord
for such beautiful memories. I remember with
fondness and joy the good times we had
together as a family. My father was a big man
-- well over six feet tall, fun-loving and tender
-- and my brothers were the best companions
a little girl could have. My precious, sweet
Mother, though petite, had robust energy and
always joined in our many outings of picnics,
concerts, boating, swimming and a multitude
of events conducted by our church.

We had a favorite place to go in the summer
for swimming. Since we lived in Michigan,
where there were various areas one could enjoy
for this fun-time sport, my father taught me to
swim at a very early age. I must have been
about seven when I had my first experience at
diving. The place we liked the best had a
twenty, perhaps even a thirty-foot high
waterfall. My older brother was a wonderful
swimmer and I'd watch in awe as he made his
way to the top of the waterfall and then dove
off. I wondered if I'd ever be able to do that. I
hoped so, but it did look scary.

The day came when my Dad said, "Rexella,
go on up there and jump off. I'll be here to get
you." At first I paused, looked at him to make
certain I'd heard correctly, and he nodded his
head and urged me on. Self-assured, I strutted
off and made my way to the top. But when I
got there, I said to my brother who had
followed me, "I can't do it."

"Sure you can," he confidently coaxed,
"you're a great little swimmer. I know you can
do it. You just trust Daddy and jump."

From the top of the falls I looked over to
the side bank where my mother and little
brother were waiting and watching for me to
do my first jump. "I can't disappoint my
family," I thought. "You go first," I said to
Bob, still hesitant. Then I looked down and
my Father called up, "Jump, I'll be right here
for you." I saw his smiling face and
remembered that he had never failed me in the
past. So I took my first leap of faith and trust.

The first thing I remember was hitting the
water with a thud and sinking down, down,
down. All of a sudden I felt the strength of my
Daddy's hands as he pulled me up to the top.
What a relief and how good it felt to have his
hands gripping mine. I clung to his neck for a
moment and was rewarded with his words,
"Good girl! I knew you could do it."

This was the first illustration of trust that I
can really remember and to which I relate
when I think about trust and all that it means.
The word trust implies reliance on someone or
something. It calls to mind other words such
as confidence, faith, dependence, assurance
and certainty. Good words.

We know love is freely given, but trust is
something that must be earned. You can look
at someone and think, "I love him or her for
Jesus' sake," but you can't trust them until you
know them and are assured that they have
earned the right to be trusted. In particular, in
the cultural climate in which we find ourselves
today, we have come to realize that one just
can't trust everybody. That's a sad
commentary, but true.

But there is Someone who is fully
trustworthy -- worthy that is, of our total
trust. That Someone is Jesus. We can take Him
at His Word, and that Word is the Bible.

It isn't always easy to trust. The apostle Peter
discovered this when he jumped into the
raging sea to go to Jesus who was walking on
the water. Remember the story in Matthew
14:22-33? As long as Peter kept his eyes on
Jesus, trusting Him, he was fine as he actually
walked on the water; but when Peter
continued walking against the boisterous
wind; he was afraid, and began to sink. It isn't
always easy to step out from that which is
secure into something precarious. Nor is it
easy to keep trusting when the waves of fear
and doubt overwhelm us. Let's never forget
this beautiful thought when we reach out to
Jesus: His hand will always be there to save us,
guide us and help us. When Jesus reached out
His hand to Peter and caught him, Peter was safe.

Trust Him With Your Past

First of all, we can trust Him with our past.
I John 1:7 assures us if we walk in the light, as
He (Himself) is in the light, we have fellowship
one with another, and the blood of Jesus
Christ His Son, cleanseth us from all sin.
When it says all, it means all -- all of the past.
We can trust Him for cleansing, for
obliterating all that would otherwise stand
between us and our holy God.

Psalm 103:12 tells us, As far as the east is
from the west, so far hath he removed our
transgressions from us. And that's a long, long
way. Who can measure it? I was reminded
recently that the distance between the North
and South Pole is measurable because there is
a limit to northness and southness. However,
there is no East Pole or West Pole. Isn't it
amazing that the Bible is explicit in saying As
far as the east is from the west... I find that
awesome. To think that's how God removes
our sin from us. Yes, immeasurably! When
God deals with our sin, a radical removal takes
place. What a wonderful, trustworthy God we have!

Hebrews 8:10 provides assurance of this
truth with these words: For I will be merciful to
their unrighteousness, and their sins and their
iniquities will I remember no more. It's as if we
had never sinned or done anything wrong or
displeasing to God. How amazing to think we
can trust God with our past.

Trust Him With the Future

Then, we can trust God with the future.
Those familiar words in Proverbs 3 take on
new meaning as one thinks about the
implications of the word trust: Trust in the
Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto
thine own understanding. In all thy ways
acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths
(vv.5,6).

That word "shall" in this verse speaks of the
future. It says we can trust Him to guide us in
the days to come. How does He do this? He
does it in different ways. Let's consider three:
1. Through prayer. 2. Through circumstances.
3. Through the certainty of His Word.

First of all He has promised to be
trustworthy as we pray. How very often we
sense the strength of our Lord as we ask Him
to bless and guide us in prayer. He alone can
change situations beyond our control.
Without reservation we are assured that He
can be trusted to care for each and every
request. Sometimes His answer may be,
"wait," sometimes He says, "This is not good
for you," and sometimes he says, "Yes, it is
accomplished." Have you experienced the
peace of knowing that you have been heard
even before you arise from your knees?
Remember the words of Isaiah in chapter 65,
verse 24: And it shall come to pass, that before
they call, I will answer; and while they are yet
speaking, I will hear.

Let's also consider how God guides us
through circumstances. Remember the Old
Testament story of Ruth? What a beautiful
picture of what it means to trust in God. In
this book we read how Ruth decided to stay
with her mother-in-law, Naomi, after tragedy
struck her family. God blessed Ruth for her
faithfulness in the form of a good husband,
Boaz, and a child (from whom King David
was a direct descendant). Had Ruth not
listened to the voice of the Lord and followed
her Mother-In-Law to Israel, God could not
have used circumstances to lead her to Boaz
and bless her with such a sweet reward. What
a beautiful commitment Ruth 2:12 reveals:
The Lord recompense thy work, and a full
reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel,
under whose wings thou art come to trust. Oh,
that we might all follow the guidance of the
Lord so that He might use circumstances in
our lives to bless us and reward us with
heaven's best.

Lastly, let us think about how God guides
us through His Word. The Bible is not a
lottery system whereby we choose a verse of
scripture for each day and end up taking just
what we want to hear. But it is a book of

• "instruction and correction," II Timothy 3:16, 17
• "guidance," Psalm 119:105
• "assurance and peace in a troubled world," Isaiah 26:3.

I could list an entire page of what the Bible
can be trusted to do for us, but let me just
assure you, it will never fail, it will never
change and it will always be relevant to our
daily life.

Often, as I have my devotions with the
Lord, I ask Him to make my mind and heart
receptive to what He wants to reveal to me
through His Word. As I continue to read and
meditate, there it is -- just what I need. I love
Psalm 119:140, Thy word is very pure: therefore
thy servant loveth it.

The world is not a safe place. Everyone is
talking about violence. A Dallas newspaper
front-page article says that guns soon may pass
vehicles as a top killer, according to federal
health officials. Already, shootings cause more
deaths than traffic accidents in Texas, six other
states and the District of Columbia. This find
came as public opinion polls showed growing
public alarm about violent crime. Let's hear
the words of David when he said: The Lord is
my rock; and my fortress, and my deliverer, The
God of my rock; in him will I trust; he is my
Shield and the horn of my salvation, my high
tower, and my refuge, my savior; thou savest me
from violence (II Samuel 22:2, 3).

There is only one place where we can go
and be assured that placing our trust will not
be misplaced dependence, and that is at the
feet of Jesus. My brother's words come back to
me with true meaning for today's stress-filled
world, "Trust Daddy and jump!" Do you
know the joy of trusting your heavenly Father?
He stands ready to catch you as you take that
leap of faith and -- jump!