Many of us recall the story of Jesus and his feeding of both the four thousand  at one time, and the feeding of five thousand with two fish and five loaves.  I’m not sure that any recall the story of Elisha and the feeding of over one hundred men with twenty barley loaves and fresh ears of grain in his sack.  And yet it follows the parallel of Jesus’ feeding of the five thousand in many ways. In some ways, when we asked to do something that seems to be impossible, we hedge a bit, expressing our doubt that what is being asked of us is possible.  And it doesn’t matter that every command  comes from God, we find a way to doubt the fulfillment of the request.  Yet, despite our doubts, someone always acts on their faithfulness to do what is asked.  Jesus said, “Bring what you have to me.”  Despite their doubts, the disciples responded faithfully and five thousand men, besides women and children were fed.  Elisha said, “Give to the men, that they may eat.”  Yet, despite the doubts of the servant, he acted in faith and set the substance before them.  And after each act of faithfulness — both from the disciples and Elisha’s servant — all were fed and there was some left over.

         Sometimes looking up to God means nothing more than trusting God over and above our own instincts and judgments of what our resources are.  I believe God is looked up to when we become surprised that God not only provides our needs but leaves us with leftovers just when we thought we didn’t have enough.  When God is that generous to us, we not only look up to God, but we lift God up higher with praise and thanksgiving.

• How easy is it for you to look up to God in trust believing that God will more than supply your needs?
• Does God’s over-supply of your needs increase the likelihood that you will continue to look up to God?

Todays Prayer

Today’s Prayer —
Generous God, grow my faith and trust in You, always leading me to look up to You because You are trustworthy to answer my prayers, even to over-supplying what I ask for.

         It seems that the having a meal together has a spiritual quality to it.  It was central to the feeding of the five thousand.  It has become central to every Holy Communion meal.  It was central to Jesus’ time with the disciples following his resurrection (Luke 21:12; 24:30-35).  It has become central to the life and the tradition of fellowship in families, in the church, and at friendly outings.  For many of us, the idea of eating a meal or breaking bread with someone cannot be done unless someone first gives thanks for the meal about to be eaten.  Whether it’s done with heads bowed around the table, or standing within a group, the spirits of everyone present are lifted up in some way while they look up to God as the receiver of their praise and thanksgiving.

         Looking up to God doesn’t always have to be a physical looking up, lifting our heads and eyes to the skies.  It can be done through the act of thanksgiving.  How else can one give thanks to God without looking up in praise and adoration and giving thanks for providing something as simple as sustenance for the time at hand.  Each time we offer thanksgiving to God for being our provider, or asking God to provide for us, we are essentially looking up to God.  Sometimes it happens spiritually.  Sometimes it happens physically.  But it happens each time we go to God with thanksgiving.  When we lift up God, we cannot help but to look up to God.

• What other ways can you think of by which you are looking up to God, whether in giving thanks, breaking bread, or in some other way?
• How important is it to you to look up to God in any of your life’s circumstances?

Todays Prayer

Today’s Prayer —
Gracious and loving God, whether my eyes are cast down to the ground in humility, or open looking toward the skies, I look up to You. I am humbled and looking up spiritually to praise You regardless of my physical posture.

         He looked up to heaven and prayed.  It sounds like a simple thing to do.  Often when we pray, our heads are bowed.  It in many ways says we are humbling ourselves before God.  It’s been a long‑held tradition of our church, in some ways following the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector (Luke 18:9 ff.).  And yet we see Jesus looking up to heaven to offer his prayers.  It’s not an unusual stance.  It is often how religious leaders of his day prayed.  They looked up to the heavens where they believed God lived and reigned.  And it doesn’t say that he followed any of today’s instructions — “eyes closed, heads bowed”.  It’s as if as he lifted up his eyes to heaven, he wanted God to look into his eyes to see his compassion — to hear in his sigh the depth of his concern — and to hear in his voice the depth of his faith in his God to deliver.

         Perhaps there is a lesson here for those of us who bow our heads and close our eyes without looking up to heaven.  It’s one thing to be humble to be justified.  It’s another thing to “by prayer and supplication [to ask for earnestly and humbly] with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (Philippians 4:6)  Perhaps looking up to heaven isn’t a display of arrogance but of sincerity.  Perhaps it is why those of us with faith are instructed to, “16 … approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:16).  

         Is it possible that miracles happen — not because they exceed what we want to happen — but because we earnestly look up to heaven and trust that God will be responsive to our supplications.  Yes, Jesus was special, but the same God that heard the prayers of Christ hears our prayers.  Perhaps our bowed heads with closed eyes is more of a hindrance to the miracles of God than if we lift up our eyes to heaven and allow the sighing of our Spirits speak to the God who hears our groans too deep for words, and answers in kind — just a thought.

• What difference do you feel your prayers might have if you looked up to heaven to pray as Jesus did?
• How does the idea of looking up to heaven to pray affect your feelings of humility?
• What would create more confidence in your willingness to look up to heaven when you prayed?

Todays Prayer

Today’s Prayer —
Merciful God, encourage me to pray to you in a way that miracles can happen because of them whether I humbly bow or courageously look to heaven.