Look Back... Look Up... Look Forward!

The Israelites had various feast days throughout the year and the purpose of some of these gatherings was ..... to look back. Two notable examples are the Passover Feast and the Feast of Tabernacles. The first of these reminded them of their deliverance from slavery in Egypt. The second, of God’s faithfulness and provision for them on their long journey through the wilderness. What was the purpose of these feast days? It was first of all, to gather the people together  - because there was strength and encouragement in being together - and then to remind them that in very difficult circumstances, God had brought them through. And to increase their faith that it would be so again.

They also had times when they were told to look up. Abraham was told to look up to the high places and God said He would give them to him for his inheritance. The people looked up at Mount Sinai and felt the awe and power of a holy God. At the dedication of the temple as they looked, not at the the temple but up to the God for whom they had built the temple, the glory fell upon them. The purpose of looking up was to remind them of the God in whom they trusted and of His love for them, of His greatness and His power to help them.

And at times they looked forward. Joshua looked forward to conquering Canaan, David looked forward to overcoming Goliath, and the disciples looked forward with anticipation to taking the gospel of Jesus Christ out into the world after He had died, risen again and poured out His Spirit upon them. 

The secret that Joshua, David and the disciples had learned was this —they each looked back and took encouragement from what they had seen and known of the action of God; they also had learned to look up and see something of Who God is and feel the power that is in Him. And because of that, they could look forward with confidence into a future where there were many uncertainties and many unexpected twists in the road - God would surely be with them.

Child of God - Where are you looking ?

Jennifer