Tony Robinson: Look Up, I Can Help

"Hope in the Lord! Be strong! Let your heart take courage! Hope in the Lord!" - Psalm 27:14

A friend shared this story about her mother who was a choir director and music teacher for her entire professional life.

If there came a time in a performance when things started to go awry--the accompanist was off-beat, or the sections were drifting from each other--the natural reaction of choir members was to hunker down, to concentrate really hard, each on his or her own music.

Usually this made things worse, as each person focused so intently on their own part they forgot to look up. "Mom," my friend said, "wanted to yell over the music, 'JUST LOOK UP! I CAN HELP!' But in the middle of the piece she just had to trust that the choir members would eventually lift their gazes of their own accord."

When things start to go awry in our own lives, we too are likely as not to hunker down. We do what we have been doing only harder. We focus on ourselves and forget to LOOK UP to see what is important, to regain perspective, to find guidance and strength in God.

Psalm 27 is the prayer of a person with a few things awry in their life and world. And it is a multiple-exclamation-point-reminder to LOOK UP!!! Lift your eyes, lift your heart to the Lord. Let your heart take courage. Be strong. Look up and then put all your trust down on God.

Prayer

So often, Holy One, I imagine it is all and only about me and my doing. Whether you are over my head or beneath my feet, I forget to look to you, to trust in you. Thank you for this ancient reminder that I can place my trust in you today. Amen.

Taken with permission from UCC's StillSpeaking devotionals. Visit UCC.org