May 3, the view at the summit
“Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Hebrews 12:2
Grandfather Mountain in Linville, N.C. is one of the all-time favorite places for my family to visit. My parents took me to this place from childhood on, and now my wife and I are doing the same with our daughters. The hiking is great, the suspended bridge is a must, feeding the black bears is always a fond tradition, and the scenery is of course breathtaking. With an elevation just under 6,000 ft., standing at the summit and looking out across the Blue Ridge Mountains always stands as the highlight of the trip. As my wife always comments, “the view makes your heart skip a beat.”
But with such an elevation, sometimes the weather at the summit can be unpredictable. Of the many trips we have made to the summit, there have been several occasions when the scenery was limited by an unexpected cloud coverage or a dense fog. And, on those occasions, as much as Grandfather Mountain is a beloved attraction, the visit was definitely not the same when you could not see what you truly came to see. No awesome view, just thick, gray fog. When you lose sight of what you truly came for, you are tempted to conclude, “what’s the use?”
There is something to learn from this scenario concerning our call to gather as the people of God for worship. I sense this is what happens when we are not truly engaged in worship. The beauty of the truth of Jesus is right in front of us but missed because of a dense covering over our minds caused by unbelief, worries, anxieties, or distractions for other affections. And when this happens, we must correct our perspective immediately. We must look to Jesus expectantly. We must set our hearts on the truth of who God is as revealed in Christ. When we do, it's just a matter of time before the wind of the Spirit begins to blow, the fog begins to break up, we see the beauty of our Lord, and we worship.
Charles Spurgeon, once wrote,
“We will never find happiness by looking at our prayers, our deeds, or our feelings; it is what Jesus is, not what we are, that gives rest to the soul. If we are to overcome Satan and have peace with God, it must be by ‘looking to Jesus.’”
Today, look unto Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith. Look to Him.
The original thought of Jesus as the “author” of our faith describes Jesus as the originator of our faith. He has begun our faith, and He is the sole reason you and I can walk in a faith relationship with our God, for He endured the cross and brought redemption. Jesus as the “finisher” of our faith expresses that He is the perfecter of our faith. He is the only one who can bring our faith to that place completion, for when He endured the cross, He rose again and “sat down and the right hand of the throne of God”, indicating that all is finished and complete.” Hebrews 1:3 proclaims that, “When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high.”
So, look to Him. This should be our daily discipline in all things. But nowhere should this discipline be more obvious than in our worship. Today, worship Him both privately and publicly - both in your present devotion time and in your worship gatherings with the people of God.
Do not lose sight of the only true view of worship: the beauty of Christ our Lord. And, with Him in view, enjoy your place at the summit.
Blessings.
READ
Read Hebrews 1:1-4 as encouragement for keeping your eyes on Jesus.