God Promises You Can See Him

Psalms 123:1-4 I lift up my eyes to you, to you whose throne is in heaven. 2 As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid look to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD our God, till he shows us his mercy. 3 Have mercy on us, O LORD, have mercy on us, for we have endured much contempt. 4 We have endured much ridicule from the proud, much contempt from the arrogant.
 
DO you see God’s signs to direct your life? The psalm’s reference to slaves looking to the hand of their master and a maid looking to the hand of her mistress refers to that culture’s common practice of masters and mistresses using hand gestures to command their servants. The servants needed constant, intentional eyes of understanding to know and respond to their masters’ various hand movements. Their well-being, even their lives depended on their response.
   The psalm exhorts Israel to lift up and keep their eyes on God’s heavenly throne. Knowing God’s commands will help them reject their enemies ridicule and contempt. How, then, do they see God’s throne – his power and authority? It certainly isn’t visible to the human eye.
   But his throne is visible to the faithful heart. If they look into their history, they can see God’s power and authority to call and form them into a personal relationship with him. What would they see?
   In one word, they would see grace. His grace is evident when God promised salvation in Eden, called Abraham, formed a great nation in Egypt, freed Israel from Egypt, gave the law, and established Israel in the Promised Land. By his grace, God forged a worship system that allowed Israel to know his holiness and forgiveness. His specific laws revealed a God of order, worthy to honor. They could see God’s grace in his faithfulness to promise and to fulfill those promises. Eyes lifted to God will see the signs he has given them. Faithful eyes of the heart will  know who God is and what he has done. Faith will look forward to trust what will do.
    We must take this to heart in Jesus’ church today. The ridicule and contempt for God has not ceased since the psalmist’s day. The church is demonized and minimized. By God’s grace the Spirit urges you now to keep your eyes on the Master. He has given you many signs through Jesus and the apostles to reveal his grace. There is no greater throne of grace than the cross.
   He has done these things to signal you to an obedient, redeemed life. With your eyes on God’s throne, you will be confident God reigns over his church and your life forever.
   Turn, then, from the negative, so you will focus on God. Lift up your eyes and keep them on his throne. Hebrews 4:16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.