Looking Beyond

How easy it is to focus on what is nearest and forget what lies beyond…

 

It was early morning, a chilly morning.

I didn’t want to go outside at all.

The intimidating clouds made everything look grey and uninviting.

That day I had a trip to make,

To see a dear friend who lived several kilometers away,

At a place colder than where I was.

But I left anyway, all covered up.

And when we got there, the sun was out!

We had a great time,

And I thought to myself,

If I had failed to look beyond the morning clouds,

This beautiful day would not have happened.

 

Sadly, many times I do not look beyond,

focusing instead on the problem right before my eyes.

It’s easier to do so, after all,

Because looking beyond is hard work!

 

I walked into school one warm January morning,

Ready to settle into my new role.

All I needed to do was get to know the drill,

Figure out what the children needed,

And teach.

It seemed so easy to do.

I just needed to teach and go home.

After a while, however, things changed.

My approach was not working,

Because it focused on the immediate,

Not the bigger picture.

I had to change,

And oh, how that change was painful,

Excruciatingly painful.

But I got through it.

And I learnt to look beyond,

And focus on what lay ahead for my students and me.

 

What does it take to look beyond?

Is it simply looking past the immediate and into the horizon?

Or going further than what you are used to?

 

Jesus had the opportunity to choose,

Between immediate gratification on earth,

And sitting at the right hand of the Father.

The enemy caught him at the right moment,

When he was tired and hungry,

Hoping that Jesus would focus on his immediate situation,

And choose the temporary.

But Jesus chose the eternal,

And rebuked the enemy.

Jesus looked beyond,

Focusing on what lay ahead of Him,

And saying  ‘no’ to the fleeting pleasures of the present.

 

What am I looking beyond to?

What is there to see,

That is better than what I have now?

There is eternal life with the Father.

There is the joy of living in His presence.

There is the joy of not having to fear death or illness.

There is the joy of having a glorified body.

There is the joy of being with the Lord.

None of this can compare with what I have now.

So I will look beyond.

 

Lord, help me to look beyond what lies ahead of me now.

Help me to see beyond what clouds my long-sighted vision.

Help me to look to you,

Because to see you,

I need to look beyond what blocks my view of you.

Help me to look beyond,

To the point where I can see you clearly,

The point where I can focus on you and your purposes without distraction.

Help me to look beyond,

To you.

Hebrews 12:2 “We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.”(NLT)