My house is full of pictures of people I love. Frames litter nearly every available surface, and everywhere I look, I see the people and places that remind me who I am and where I’m from.
When I’m anxious, when my nervous system starts to bubble like boiling water on a hot stove and I feel my heart race, I look at a picture. Sometimes it’s of the lake where I grew up or the top of a mountain I climbed or the day of my wedding or my children as babies. These pictures, symbols of moments of great joy, bring my nervous system back into regulation, calm my sprinting heart, and remind me of what is true and good.
When the Israelites physically wandered the desert, their minds and hearts wandered too. Was God really good? Was He really trustworthy? Did He want the best for them?
These are all questions that dash through my mind too.
When the people suffer greatly from snake bites, they cry out to the God they had doubted days before, pleading for mercy. God told Moses to mount a bronze snake on a pole and whoever looked at the snake would be healed.
God’s answer to their fears? Look to Him. To their sin? Look to Him. Healing and peace—two eternal aches—were found when they lifted their eyes to the God who created and sustained and loved them.
When Jesus repeated this story hundreds of years later, He replaced the image of the snake with the visual of himself, the Son of Man. “So the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life” (John 3:14–15). When we are heavy with guilt, doubt, suffering, and anger like the Israelites, we remember Jesus, the One who was lifted up.
The old hymn “Come Ye Souls by Sin Afflicted” by Joseph Swain, an eighteenth century minister, includes the lyrics: “Come ye souls by, sin afflicted / …by the broken, law convicted / through the cross, behold the crown / Look to Jesus; Look to Jesus; Look to Jesus / Mercy flows through Him alone.” All we need to do is look to Jesus to find the mercy, healing, and restoration our hearts are needing.
I need to look to Jesus. We are in the midst of a trying season as a family. Even though everything is ok, I’m tired and weary as a mom of two young daughters and as the wife of a husband who has to be fully into work right now. I’m weary, dealing with anger, and feeling so guilty for it while carrying the entire weight of our home with little help. I need restoration from the one who knows what’s best for us. I pray for His will on our lives.
Leigh I could have written this same post. Just know you’re not alone in your struggle ❤️
I feel the same. I have four boys and my husband works in a steel mill. I don’t get much help either. It’s exhausting.
Jesus became sin so we could become the righteousness of God! We must look to Him for our every need, always focus on Him!
Look to Him. Point others to Him. Can’t go wrong!
I need to keep this in mind, when I worry, lol to Him. I need to train myself to do this. This devotion was great and he helped me. Merry Christmas everyone ❤️❤️❤️
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Gayle, I am standing in the gap for you! I believe the report of the Lord, the Creator of Heaven and Earth! No infirmity, sickness or disease dwells in Him! We will come into agreement with the Word of the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe the report of the Lord. Lord God, there’s nothing too hard for You and there’s no problem that You cannot solve! When the doctors says this is impossible to man, we declare that We know a Man who can!!
1 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
2 My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.
3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.
4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand.
6 The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.
8 The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.
Gayle, those are the words of man! But God! My brother was diagnosed with stage 4 stomach cancer almost 4 years ago and his prognosis was not good. But God!!! We started a 40 day prayer for healing for him and God has healed him. Just recently his oncologist told him he was a “masterpiece” and that he has never had a patient like him. Through this miracle many on my family have come to faith! I pray this encourages you.