What are we seeing?

Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters, As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, So our eyes look to the Lord our God, until He is gracious to us. ~Psalm 123:2

The next phrase was very interesting. It was set against the backdrop of enemies’ contempt.

For we are greatly filled with contempt.
Our soul is greatly filled.
With the scoffing of those who are at ease,
And with the contempt of the proud.

Two days ago, I was offended by someone, and immediately, I took matters into my own hands. I emerged victorious. I could say I triumphed. The cards were on my hands. I thought, why should I suffer bullies, and who is going to teach this fellow a lesson if not me?

However, this morning, God taught me a lesson. It’s a lesson on Seeing God.

The Psalm opens the session. The person was undergo some kind persecutions. And it never accross the mind, to take things into own hands. Instead this person, fixed the eyes on God!! Waiting for God to have mercy. Believing that God will act!

The posture? A servant / a maid to the master. Until the master act on my behalf, I will wait. What a contrast with my action the other day, taking things into my own hands. Fight for my own right. Why? Because I didn’t see God.

God showed me the real life example, of a man who fail and one who succeeded.

1 Samuel 13 was the perfect example / display of this lesson.

There Saul, with his people, facing the large enemies. The people began to fear, and they left and went into hiding. Saul saw these, and began to fear too (not mentioned though), and the next thing he did; took things into own hands, instead of waiting for Samuel & God. It’s a perfect example of seeing the enemies vs seeing God. When Samuel came, he rebuked Saul for failing to listen & wait.

In the contrast, his son; Jonathan, was probably beginning to see the contradiction in his faith. He took things into his hands, but he waited for God. His action shows faith that challenged the fear and irrationality of it. He declares his faith that “God could save with few or many” (1 Sam 14:6). And he put his faith in action when he confronted the enemies. He waited for God to show him what he must do. His action is not self-seeking, rather it was provoked by the situation and beg God does something for his people.

This was further displayed later, when Saul, fixated with the enemies, made a rush oath that sniff out the life of his men. On the other hand, Jonathan, with eyes fixed on God, could see the innocence and blessing of God’s providence and taste the honey.

When we’re fixed on things (enemies here), we not only defeated, but made all the wrong decisions. While when we fixed our eyes on God, we’re given faith to change the course, and made wise decisions.

Today, and everyday, choose to fix your eyes on Jesus and God, and not on circumtances, no matter how daunting it look like.

Imagine this: Saul has 3000 men, facing the enemies of 3000 chariots and 6000 charioters, plus uncountable men. Humanly speaking, what is visible is undeniable. They are just so large that unavoidable and deny to be unnoticed and not be taken seriously. Yet God wants us to still cast our eyes on Him, despite that obvious odds. And when we do that, victory will be ours, beyond what we could see with our eyes.

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