THREE IMPORTANT “LOOKS”!

THREE IMPORTANT “LOOKS”!

Num 21:8

8 And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.

          The idea that a simple look could produce a cure for snake bite is ridiculous until you consider that it was the Lord’s plan. Even today the image of serpents entwined around a pole is the symbol of doctors. It was an important “look” that required the bitten to give up ordinarily rational thinking and obediently act upon faith. This morning I would like to suggest that there are three important “looks” that we should consider.

          Look around! When we look at the world we are discouraged. We grasp hopefully for answers but the world offers none.

Isa 8:21-22

21 And they shall pass through it, hardly bestead and hungry: and it shall come to pass, that when they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves, and curse their king and their God, and look upward.

22 And they shall look unto the earth; and behold trouble and darkness, dimness of anguish; and they shall be driven to darkness.

          Look within! Self-evaluation is almost always a disappointment. The Prodigal found that the best environment for taking personal inventory was a hog pen. It is foolish to disconnect ourselves from God and to join ourselves to a citizen of that godless country. The Prodigal took that important look within and found truth.

Luke 15:17-19

17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,

19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.

          Look unto the Lord! The Prodigal began to look toward home; to look toward the father and when he did his life changed. The father saw him returning from a great way off and ran to him with love, forgiveness and restoration. He will do the same for you!

Isa 45:22

22 Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.

Mic 7:7

7 Therefore I will look unto the Lord ; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.

Dear Lord, as I look around I see trouble, as I look within I see failure, but when I look to Thee I see hope. Let me set my eyes upon you today. AMEN