Oh, To Have My Father’s Eyes and Heart
A few days ago in my post, I said “Nothing is impossible with God. What’s going on in politics and our world doesn’t define our happiness. Those thoughts pale in contrast to those of us who rise to the 30,000 feet view that our Father has when He looks at us and this world.”
The meaning of that “30,000 feet view” is best explained by looking out the window of an airplane. We see puffy, white clouds that look like cotton and we may be inside those clouds and see nothing but white matter all around us. Down below there could be fires raging, traffic jams, floods taking over lands and lives, and chaos of wars and conflict…..but we can’t see it because we’re tucked away inside a protective cloud that blocks our view. It’s like a state of peace and contentment — flying high above it all and not seeing what is “earth-bound”.
When there are no clouds that block our view, all we can see is methodical organization of fields and lands marked by dividers (roads), gorgeous mountain ranges, valleys and hills, rivers and lakes, towns and cities with spectacular skylines, neighborhoods that are perfectly aligned. We can even see little cars. We don’t see the chaos that’s going on in those homes, cars or buildings. Oh to have that 30,000 feet view of life. It sounds heavenly, doesn’t it? Oftentimes, that’s the way we live. When it comes to living in God’s peace that passes understanding (Philippians 4:7) — it’s a great way TO live. The eagle stories we hear about how they can fly above storms is a great analogy for us.
As peaceful the thought of not knowing about what’s going on down below the clouds, or the thought of eagles being able to fly above it all, that wasn’t God’s life plan for us. He orchestrated our debut ON this earth and brought us to this place, at this time, to be right smack dab in the middle of LIFE and all that it holds. People are hurting. They are in need. Their world is falling apart. They need someone who SEES them and wants to do something to help them. We’ve heard the saying “They’re so heavenly minded that they’re no earthly good!” We’re here to be earthly minded to LOOK and SEE — SEE and BE the answer to someone’s prayers, needs, heart cries, because we are servant minded — like our Father and heavenly minded enough to want to take them to heaven with us!
We are here on assignment. When we make the Lord Jesus Christ the Lord of our lives, we are given an assignment by Him to BE His disciples and His light to shine brightly in this hurting and cynical world. We see and hear those who claim to be Christians, but it’s hard to identify them because of their anger issues, the backstabbing, and word-slinging that accompany their talk and walk and their positions that oppose God’s Word. It’s up to us to be the beacons of light that “preach a sermon” every day – not so much by what we say, but how we live, how we talk, and how we walk. Not only having our Father’s eyes to see those around us in need but to be His hands that hold the hands of those who are hurting, touching the untouchable and reaching out to the unlovable. To be His feet that travels to the captives and the outcast and free them. To have His heart full of compassion that SEES others as valuable brothers and sisters in need of a role model. Matthew 9:36 “But when He SAW the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them……”
When people look inside our lives…..don’t we want to hear them say “They’ve got their Father’s eyes, His hands, His feet…..AND His heart?”