Look Up or Look Down?

by Peter Blount 9 February 2022

This was the question that I faced during my daily constitutional this morning!

Should I look up at the beautiful clear blue sky, uninterrupted by clouds, aircraft trails or anything else. Look up at the trees, still mostly leafless but magnificent against the blue sky and full of happy singing birds. Look up at the morning sunshine breaking the mist and brightening the whole area. 

Should I look down at the frost glistening in the sunshine. Look down at the variety of fallen leaves and undergrowth, look down at the first signs of bulbs pushing up through the ground. Or indeed, simply look down to see were I am going. 

So as each day dawns do we look up and experience the joys of life; giving thanks for all that God grants to us to enhance those joys, most likely without us really knowing it's Him. Do we look up and therefore look forward to all that awaits us in both the short and long term. 

Or do we look down and only see the depressing news and ugly reality of our current situation. Look down at the daily chores and mundane monotony of life in lockdown. 

So in our Christian life are we looking up or looking down?  

Looking up, to the greatness and power of an all seeing God who is with us now and will be forever. Looking up to the God who makes the sun to shine each day and fills our life with so many good things. 

OR 

Looking down at the small details of life which we struggle to get right, the perceived pressure to achieve something or merely looking down to see where we put the next step?

I guess, in the end, there is a balance of the two – we must look up to dream dreams and see visions BUT yes we must look down, to see the way ahead and be blessed in working, step by step towards each goal. 

In all things do remember ‘God is Good’.  

May His grace, peace and joy be with us all. AMEN