Unto the Hills
A Psalm for Asphalt-huggers like Me
Short-term vision can lead to long-term blindness. Yet we see it all around us.
Head down the disheveled homeless man sees only the littered asphalt beneath him. Without lifting his eyes the dejected soul can't see what lies before him. Short-sightedness in a broad landscape causes the poor bloke to exist in a prison of disinterest with a self-imposed sentence of death. Looking down he focuses on the deceptive safety of the next step. Yet, just beyond his illusion of security lies the coiled viper of a speeding, out-of-control vehicle.
Our focus on immediacy becomes a deathly distraction when context is ignored. The panorama of life with its present dangers and passing possibilities demands that we walk forward with eyes ahead. Such are the observations of a man who is not homeless. Platitudes are rarely offered from the front lines of spiritual warfare. This posting is not an instruction from the heads-up crowd but from a fellow shoe inspector. Mercifully, God has something for us.
Our focus on immediacy becomes a deathly distraction when context is ignored.
The Psalmist speaks God’s Word to himself, a spiritual soliloquy, to turn from looking at the changing trials of Man to the changeless truths of God. “Unto the hills” is a powerful reminder to set our focus on the eternal.
“I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills; from whence cometh my help? My help cometh even from the Lᴏʀᴅ, who hath made heaven and earth” (Psalm 121:1, 2).
Just beyond the ground beneath us, is a fair land of hills. Hills are more accessible than mountains. I can look up to see the hills even when I lack strength to climb a mountain. Incremental vision is better than no vision. Thus, the Lord lovingly condescends to asphalt-huggers like me.
Let us pray.
Lord of timeless beauty and truth, Thou hast revealed Thyself in a Word from Another World, brought near to us through Thy Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ;
Hear our prayer: That Thy son or daughter may be given strength from on high, to lift their eyes from a focus on oppressing thoughts to the fierce freedom that follows looking “unto the hills;”
Grant that in lifting their eyes of faith to Thee O Lord they may experience the presence and power of the resurrected Christ, the single silhouette moving over the eternal hills of Psalm 121, welcoming all who are looking for hope; Through Jesus our Lord, I pray. Amen.