Andy Stoddard ~ Is God Our First Look?
It can be frustrating to do right. It can be hard to be faithful and to follow God, especially when you see so many others that, in your mind, are not. We see the wickedness. The greed. All the things that others are doing wrong.
It can be easy to give up, to say, “why keep trying?”
Why should I work so hard to be faithful when so many others are not? Or it can be easy to harden our hearts against others. To say, “they are all so wrong, but I am better than others.” It is easy to become like the Pharisee who prayed, “Lord, thank you that I am not a tax collector!”
How do we keep from falling into either of these traps? Listen to what we are told in Micah 7:4-7:
The best of them is like a brier, the most upright of them a thorn hedge. The day of their sentinels, of their punishment, has come; now their confusion is at hand. Put no trust in a friend, have no confidence in a loved one; guard the doors of your mouth from her who lies in your embrace; for the son treats the father with contempt, the daughter rises up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; your enemies are members of your own household. But as for me, I will look to the LORD, I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.
Micah sees sin and corruption all around. He sees how so many turn from God. He sees how so many live opposite of the way that God wants. It would be easy for him to either give up or harden his heart. What does he do?
Look at verse 7 – “I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.” Micah takes his eyes off of others, he takes his eyes off of himself, he looks at God.
Today, if you feel like giving up, if you question why should you keep trying when no one else even cares – are you looking first to God?
Today, if you feel judgmental towards others – angered at their unrighteousness – are you looking first to God?
Today, is God is our first look? Do we look to God, do we wait on him, do we turn first to him above looking at others and ourselves? If we keep our eyes on God, above everything and everyone else, we will find our path forward.
We will be able to faithful in a world that doesn’t feel faithful, and we will be able to love those who are walking in ways that we don’t approve.
When we keep our eyes on God first, we find our path forward to live.