We come together mainly for the purpose of
pursuing together what Paul named "the upward call." In our talking, we always
share our mutual burden to see the church, and through the church, our culture,
be swept up in that call, a call that sees the fullness of His life lay hold of
the emptiness of ours, and of the lives around us. Yet before that can become
our reality, or anyone else's, we must be aware and rid of the obstructions and
blockages that keep us from such a life.
As my friend put it, too many of us live our lives horizontally. We see only that which lies right before us. We're captivated by it, and yes, controlled by it. It so fills our sight that we're not able to look in any other direction but to what is right before us. There may be many "things' before us, but the result is that our "horizontal vision" keeps us from ever exercising vertical vision, the vision that looks up and beyond what lies before us, to Him who is over and above all things. As a result, we're unaware that the very things which so captivate us, in reality, hold us captive. We think we're free to pursue them, lay hold of them, when in reality, they've already pursued and laid hold of us. We don't hear the upward call because the horizontal one has all of our attention, and so thinking we see clearly, we don't realize we're blind. The side effects of this are devastating.
One of the great laments of the church today is how many are held in captivity by fear, anxiety, anger, bitterness, lust, crooked desires, and self-absorption. This will always be the result of our living with horizontal vision. We're held captive by what we desire, and live in varying degrees of fear, anxiety, anger, lust, and so much more, because we fear either losing what holds our gaze, or never having it at all. While we're looking at all these objects, His Word and promise may be put before us, but they're just one more of many things to look at. Small reason they have no real power or effect in our lives. It's only when we look into and meet Him in His eyes and heart, that we are free of their power. We can't do that apart from His grace. Horizontal vision is natural, vertical vision is His gift.
As my friend put it, too many of us live our lives horizontally. We see only that which lies right before us. We're captivated by it, and yes, controlled by it. It so fills our sight that we're not able to look in any other direction but to what is right before us. There may be many "things' before us, but the result is that our "horizontal vision" keeps us from ever exercising vertical vision, the vision that looks up and beyond what lies before us, to Him who is over and above all things. As a result, we're unaware that the very things which so captivate us, in reality, hold us captive. We think we're free to pursue them, lay hold of them, when in reality, they've already pursued and laid hold of us. We don't hear the upward call because the horizontal one has all of our attention, and so thinking we see clearly, we don't realize we're blind. The side effects of this are devastating.
One of the great laments of the church today is how many are held in captivity by fear, anxiety, anger, bitterness, lust, crooked desires, and self-absorption. This will always be the result of our living with horizontal vision. We're held captive by what we desire, and live in varying degrees of fear, anxiety, anger, lust, and so much more, because we fear either losing what holds our gaze, or never having it at all. While we're looking at all these objects, His Word and promise may be put before us, but they're just one more of many things to look at. Small reason they have no real power or effect in our lives. It's only when we look into and meet Him in His eyes and heart, that we are free of their power. We can't do that apart from His grace. Horizontal vision is natural, vertical vision is His gift.
I love the way one version renders Ephesians
4:8, "He ascended on high and led Captivity itself, captive."
Captivity itself. The sum of all things and everything that ever could or does hold us in its bondage and power, has been overcome, defeated, and made powerless by He who leads both it, and them, in His parade of triumph. He holds all the power of darkness and the enemy, captive. Those with horizontal vision will never see this. Only those with His gift of vertical vision do.
Can this really be? There are two words in His word that speak powerfully to me. "He is." Bud McCord says that this means more than that He simply exists. McCord writes, "He is everything He should be at all times....He is perfect abundance." Everything He should be, He is. And, if He is, then everything He promises and the life that goes with those promises, is ours, in Him. But we must be looking up, not around, not before, and not behind, but up....into His face, eyes, and heart. He then takes us captive, and we are then free to be His slaves, and so, more free than we could ever hope for. He calls us upward. Do you hear Him?
Blessings,
Captivity itself. The sum of all things and everything that ever could or does hold us in its bondage and power, has been overcome, defeated, and made powerless by He who leads both it, and them, in His parade of triumph. He holds all the power of darkness and the enemy, captive. Those with horizontal vision will never see this. Only those with His gift of vertical vision do.
Can this really be? There are two words in His word that speak powerfully to me. "He is." Bud McCord says that this means more than that He simply exists. McCord writes, "He is everything He should be at all times....He is perfect abundance." Everything He should be, He is. And, if He is, then everything He promises and the life that goes with those promises, is ours, in Him. But we must be looking up, not around, not before, and not behind, but up....into His face, eyes, and heart. He then takes us captive, and we are then free to be His slaves, and so, more free than we could ever hope for. He calls us upward. Do you hear Him?
Blessings,
Pastor O
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