Can You See It From There?

r Can You See It From There?

From the Word Graphic

Can You See It From There?

My co-worker was looking at a sheet of paper laying in front of him. He said he thought he saw an arrow drawn on the page. When he looked back, he didn't see it anymore. I was standing on the other side of the table from him and quickly pointed out the BIG RED Arrow that was hiding behind his hand that was resting on the page. (Hover Mouse over reference to read the verse.)
The same BIG RED arrow that was obvious to me was invisible to my co-worker. The explanation: we were looking from different perspectives. What was hidden to him was in plain view to me. I started to think about how much our perspective affects our lives from day to day.
Perspective doesn't depend on circumstances, it depends on position.
I was able to see the arrow that my co-worker could not see, because I was in a different position. We can change our position by a simple posture change, but there are other ways to change our position as well.
1. A Position of Obedience God promised Abraham, who had no children at the time, that his descendants would become a great nation so numerous, they could not be counted. He waited nearly 15 years and into old age for the birth of his promised son. Then God asked him to sacrifice his promised son on an altar. As he took his son up to the place where he planned to sacrifice him, I can only imagine that he was going over and over in his mind to figure a way out. As he raised his arm to slay the boy, in the very moment of his obedience, he found the answer he was looking for. Genesis 22:12-13
2. A Position of Faith Israel had been held captive in Egypt for many years. They were forced to work as slaves to ruthless Egyptian slave masters. Through a series of bizarre events, (the ten plagues), Pharaoh let the whole nation of Israel leave Egypt directed by Moses and Aaron. As they made their way, the Egyptian pharaoh changed his mind about letting them go, realizing that he would lose all his laborers. He gathered his army and followed them. Moses and the nation of Israel found themselves between a rock and a hard place or between the Red Sea and a very powerful army! The people were fearful, but Moses trusted God to deliver them from their circumstances. He had not brought them this far to let them be crushed by their enemy. Exodus 14:10-14 Moses belived God could do something amazing! They only needed to stand firm and be still...in other words trust God. Exodus 14:21-22 Not only did God make a way for them to move forward, He also defeated their enemy by causing the water to close in on them behind Israel.
3. A Position of a Spirit Filled Life Stephen had been brought to the Sanhedrin on charges of blasphemy based on false witnesses . He gave a long speech to the high priest to defend himself. In the speech, he accused the jews of killing the Son of God, the one God sent to save them all. His stand for Christ put him in a life threatening situation. Acts 7:54-60 Stephen was truly given a new perspective. He was allowed to see right into heaven. How comforting that must have been in his situation. In this case, his perspective did not actually change his circumstances, but it gave him peace to go through his circumstances. He was also able to forgive those who were stoning him. He not only forgave them, but he had compassion on them that God would forgive them.
In all three of these cases there is a Common Thread. In all three of these situations, they all looked up for their answer. The Israelites were unable to see it right away, but Moses held out his right hand in faith until they all saw a miraculous answer. There are many things in this life that can cause us to stress or worry or even be sad, but if we can keep our eyes fixed on God by obeying, trusting, and walking with Him, we can have peace as well as everything we need. Matthew 6:30-33 "'Do not lay a hand on the boy,' he said. 'Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.' Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son.", "As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the LORD. They said to Moses, 'Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? Didn't we say to you in Egypt, 'Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians'? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!' Moses answered the people, 'Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.'", "Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the LORD drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left.", "When they heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 'Look,' he said, 'I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.' At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.' Then he fell on his knees and cried out, 'Lord, do not hold this sin against them. 'When he had said this, he fell asleep.", "Abraham looked up...the Israelites looked up...Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up", "'So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.'"
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