The Well- Look Up- December 14, 2022

Weather Report From Heaven: Sunny and bright, with an abundance of light and lots of singing and rejoicing. Scripture- “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” -Ephesians 2:10 Insight: How many times do you stop during your day and simply […]

Written By Doug Hall

On December 13, 2022
"

Read more

Weather Report From Heaven: Sunny and bright, with an abundance of light and lots of singing and rejoicing.

Scripture- “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” -Ephesians 2:10

Insight: How many times do you stop during your day and simply look up and thank God that your identity is found in Jesus Christ? If I am being honest, not very often and certainly not nearly enough. In fact I, like most people, will go to great lengths to try and find my identity in what people think about me, or say about or feel about me. Why do you think all the social media outlets like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter etc. are so popular? We are all searching for our identity in the wrong places. Instead of looking outwards for approval, we should be looking upwards.  But even worse, many times I look inwards, thinking that I have the answers or the capabilities within me to traverse life’s rocky currents and unexpected storms.  When we come to tough decisions or difficult circumstances, we must learn to look upward instead of inward.  Again, I am hardly alone here. Just go to any book store and see the shelves packed with all the self-help books you can use to get it all together, turn over a new leaf, live out your dream on earth. All good ideas except I have found they rarely last. Why? Because we are again looking in all the wrong places in search of the elixir that can truly sustain us and bring us the joy and contentment we desire. In this case we are looking in, instead of up. But up is where the answers we seek lie. God loves us so much He did provide us an answer to all of our dreams in His Son Jesus. He alone can provide the contentment, the joy, the fulfillment we are seeking. 

The Apostle Paul found this to be true despite some terrible circumstances. He often was on death’s doorstep, many times due to horrific injustices and calamities, yet he could still sing God’s praises due to His ability to always look up. He says in Philippians 4:11-13 “I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”  The same can be true for us. Instead of looking out or looking in, we need to always look up. God is available to us thanks to His Son’s resurrection and the gift of the Holy Spirit. Our identity is sitting there at the right side of God’s throne. We need nothing else! That is the only place where we can find true security and our real identity that nothing can ever change or diminish and that we can never lose. 

Prayer: Lord God, let us find our identity in your Son Jesus and nothing else. Nothing else satisfies or lasts, but your overwhelming and reckless love for us always does. Remind us to stop looking out, or in for or our contentment and identity, but to instead always look up!  Amen.

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

SUBSCRIBE

Join our mailing list to receive

The Well Daily + Endless Grace

Podcasts from Doug Hall

You have Successfully Subscribed!