Pastor's Corner: Whatever you do, don't look down

You know that moment in the movies... someone who's terrified of heights must climb out on a ledge or jump between two high buildings. And they look down and the fear that overwhelms them almost makes them lose their grip and fall.

We live in uncertain, scary times and the last thing we need to do is look down.

If you look down... at your problems and your worries for too long, you'll soon be depressed and afraid to go on.

If you look down... at your cell phone or tablet and read all the contradictory opinions, hatred and arguing, gloom and doom on the internet and social media, you'll become overwhelmed and uncertain.

If you look down... the road too far trying to imagine what life will be like in your future or your children's future or how your finances are going to stretch into retirement, you can lose hope itself.

We need to look up... Psalm 121:1- says, "I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; From where shall my help come? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth." We need to look up, not to the mountains, but to the God who made the mountains.

Moses, an insecure man with a speech impediment, rose from slavery to lead his people to escape from the most powerful kingdom on earth. Hebrews 11:27 tells us his secret... "By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen." He kept up his courage to do the impossible by keeping his focus on the invisible, but very real God Almighty!

As we walk through these difficult times, some have looked to authorities and experts for answers; even with their best efforts, being human, they've been wrong as often as they've been right, and we've been left disappointed.

Many counselors and organizations are offering help for the stress and anxiety and the worsening of psychological ills that has been brought on by living in a state of uncertainty for months and years on end; yet we have greater levels of depression and hopelessness than ever, especially among our young people.

It's time we follow Moses' example. We need to stop focusing on this crisis that feels like it will never end or even on all the latest "solutions" that are supposed to fix everything and somehow never do and instead look up and fix our eyes on the One who is our true hope.

Keep looking up at Him when you're afraid because He is mighty to save.

Keep looking up at Him when you're overwhelmed and don't know what to do, because He will direct your paths.

Keep looking up at Him, when you're exhausted from all your efforts, because He will give you rest.

Hebrews 12:1b-2a ...let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith.