The Right Direction

Hurricane Katrina Relief Effort - Mobile, AL

The story has been told of a man who wanted to steal some potatoes from his neighbor's field. He put his little son up on a fence to watch.

"Is anyone coming from the north?" he asked.
"No," replied his son.
"From the south?"
"No."
"From the east?"
"No."
"From the west?"
"No, Daddy."

"Then I can go ahead and take the potatoes," said the man.
"But there is ONE direction we forgot to look," said the boy.
"Which direction is that?" asked his father.
“UP," answered the boy!

“UP.”  That’s the direction in which WE usually fail to look.  All too often we focus only on a “horizontal plane,” considering only the earthly and immediate concerns of our existence.  We fail to look in the most important direction: "UP".  Looking "UP" means realizing that there IS a God who has revealed His will for our lives.

We must look "UP" to realize our accountability before our Creator. “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:13 NIV).  Acknowledging that God sees all causes us to realize our sinfulness (cp. Isaiah 6:1-8).  We also recognize that each of us is responsible for our own actions (Galatians 6:5).  One day, each one of us MUST give account of himself before the all-knowing God (Romans 14:12; 2 Corinthians 5:10).

We must look "UP"  to the Source of our salvation from SIN.  As we look "UP" 
to God, we not only acknowledge the fact that He has "HIGH" expectations of us (cp. 
Titus 2:11-14), but we can also see that He LOVES  us, wants to FORGIVE  us and 
SAVE  us eternally.  “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

God has promised to SAVE those who look "UP"  to Him... in faith (Hebrews 11:6), believing in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), repenting of sin (Acts 17:30-31), confessing Jesus (Romans 10:9-10), and being baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).  He will CONTINUE to cleanse those who CONTINUE to look "UP"  to Him in faithful obedience (1 John 1:7).

As YOU give attention to the aspects of your life, be sure to look in the
-RIGHT-  direction.  Look "UP"  to God and obey Him!

God bless you!

David A. Sargent, Minister

Church of Christ at Creekwood 
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama  36695

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