When I was in high school (in the Bronze Age, I think) if you heard someone say "What'chu lookin' at?" you immediately knew that someone had been challenged.  They had two choices:  either to put their head down (supposedly conceding "victory" to the one who interrogated) and walk away or to take up the challenge, giving a good comeback ("That's what I'm trying to figure out!") and getting ready to fight, if necessary.

I feel a need to ask you that question. 
Not because I had a bad day, or a bad life, and am looking for someone to take my grief out on, but rather, because it's a question we all need to ask ourselves.  The Lord has taken us out on a journey to a promised land.  He has spoken to us through our leaders as well as through people just passing through, even though they had no idea that we'd been given that promise.  It's a promised land because He promised.  When He delivered the Israelites from Egypt and put them on the road, He didn't give them a map, a set of directions, any explanation nor any idea of what was coming.  He just said, "Follow me."  It was understood that He was quite capable, thank you, of getting them there.  Didn't He show them His credentials by his "mighty hand" (Deuteronomy 5:15) through the ten plagues?  But that generation did not make it "into His rest" (Hebrews 3:16-19); their rebellion, a.k.a. unbelief (I Samuel 15:23) or doubt, of God's person and His abilities, effectively slammed that door shut.  They heard about the land but were never able to see, touch, or experience it.  Why do we doubt?  "Is anything too hard for the Lord?"  (Genesis 18:14)

What are you looking at?
Recently, I heard a story on the news.  A one-legged man crawled over the ice to save the lives of three girls that had fallen through into the water.  If he hadn't made the effort, would anyone not have excused him because of his disability?  But he didn't look at what he couldn't do; he looked at what he could.  God took care of the rest. I immediately thought of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.  The Lord gave them so much to enjoy and use, but laid down one boundary.  They, then, focused on that one thing they couldn't do instead of on the lavishness and generosity of God.  That was their position when the serpent started feeding their focus.  The rest is history, her story and our story.  Everything went downhill from there.  Should we wallow in the can'ts, or wont's, and summarily cut off the desire of God for our lives?  Or shall we "delight...in the Lord and He will give [us] the desires of [our] heart[s]" (Psalms 37:4).  Let's take the step of faith, looking at what is possible, and walk in it, believing His Word and Great Power.

What are you looking at?
The Israelites' attitude was such that they wouldn't "lift up [their] heads for [their] redemption [was] drawing near" (Luke 21:28), so their vision was obstructed by mere, temporary circumstance.  We serve a God who can walk on water; and soars on the wings of the wind (II Samuel 22:11).  In fact, let's look at God's response to David call in II Samuel 22:7-20:


⁷ "But I called upon the Lord in my distress, And he heard me from his Temple. My cry reached his ears. ⁸ Then the earth shook and trembled; The foundations of the heavens quaked Because of his wrath. ⁹ Smoke poured from his nostrils; Fire leaped from his mouth And burned up all before him, Setting fire to the world.
¹⁰ He bent the heavens down [as he stood from His throne to defend David] and came to earth; He walked upon dark clouds. ¹¹ He rode upon the glorious-On the wings of the wind. ¹² Darkness surrounded him, And clouds were thick around him; ¹³ The earth was radiant with his brightness. ¹⁴ The Lord thundered from heaven; The God above all gods gave out a mighty shout. ¹⁵ He shot forth his arrows of lightning And routed his enemies. ¹⁶ By the blast of his breath Was the sea split in two. The bottom of the sea appeared. ¹⁷ From above, he rescued me. He drew me out from the waters; ¹⁸ He saved me from powerful enemies, From those who hated me And from those who were too strong for me. ¹⁹ They came upon me In the day of my calamity  ²⁰ He led me to a place of safety; he rescued me because he delights in me.
-The Living Bible, [words in brackets, mine]

This was a cry for help on a personal level, how much more will He move heaven itself to help us carry out His mission—to save and disciple many helpless souls.  This is His vision, His plan, His command.


What are you looking at?
God afflicted the Israelites at one point (Numbers 21:4-8) with venomous snakes because of their negativity and they began to die off!  But, with the affliction, He provided a way of deliverance.  He told Moses to make a bronze snake and to put it on a pole.  The people, while in their pain, only needed to look at the bronze snake.  Look unto Jesus, even in your doubt (Mark 9:24).  He gives sight to the blind; He can fix your vision problem, too!  "I counsel you to buy from me...salve to put on your eyes, so you can see" (Revelation 3:18).  It will cost you something but it's worth it!

What are you looking at?
The twelve spies (Numbers 13:1-33), when they returned from the land of Canaan, had all experienced the same thing.  It was the interpretation that divided them.  Ten spies focused on the giants they'd seen in the land.  Two of them, Caleb (Numbers 14:6-9) and Joshua, focused on the awesome blessings there.  They knew God could get them in.  Stop focusing on the giants (debt, lack of manpower, legalities, etc.) of the land and focus on the Giant at your right hand.  He's just waiting for us to put our faith (trust) in Him.  How do you think David beat Goliath?  He told them, "The Lord will deliver me." (I Samuel 17:37).  It wasn't even a contest.  Goliath hit the ground on the first swing.

What are you looking at?
Don't you know that you serve a compassionate and generous God?  "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened" (Matthew 7:7-8).  How does He give?  "Good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over."  (Luke 6:38)   He says that He is our Husband (Hosea 2:19; II Corinthians 11:2; Jeremiah 31:32; Romans 7:3, 4) and that He draws us with loving kindness.  As such, He protects us and provides for us.  There is nothing my husband loves more than to see his wife and children dress well, eat well, have a good roof over their heads, etc.  Sure it makes him look good but, even more, it's an expression of his love for each of us.  I never have to doubt his love because I constantly see the evidence of the sacrifices he makes in order to provide.  And so, you can see me walk about feeling very secure in our relationship.  God is glorified when He provides and we acknowledge that it is from Him.  Give Him the glory!  Open your eyes to the giver of good gifts (Matthew 7:11).  " 'For I know the [specific] plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a [specific] future.' " (Jeremiah 29:11)  Isn't He awesome?  Can't we just trust completely in the Lord's provision and "lean not on [our] own understanding?"  After all, "The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases." (Proverbs 21:1) And, "'The silver is mine and the gold is mine,' declares the Lord Almighty."
(Haggai 2:8)  "'The glory of this [soon-to-be] house will be greater than the glory of the former house,' says the Lord Almighty." (Haggai 2:9)   This will occur because of all that His presence will bring about there, "behold, even now".

So, let's no longer allow our minds and spirits to dry up in that desolate wasteland of negativity and unbelief.   "See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart..."  (Hebrews 3:12)  Let's not continue to poison each other with such talk "but encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today..."  (Hebrews 3:13)  I'm making it my purpose to keep my eyes on the Lord for He is able and willing to do MIGHTILY!  I know in whom I believe.

DO YOU?!?