Date: 11/19/2020
Lift Up Your Eyes
Dave Loy of Independence, MO, USA
Learn of me and listen to my words; walk in the meekness of my Spirit and you shall have peace in me. —Doctrine and Covenants 18:2n
I was born with a rare neurological disease that is slowly causing me to lose feeling in my legs and arms. I have no feeling in my feet resulting in poor balance, and my hands are beginning to be affected. Because I cannot feel the pressure of my feet on the ground, I do not know where they are as I walk unless I am looking at them.
Every morning I take Herman for a long walk. My head is down surveying the ground in front of me for any hazards that I might step on, causing me to fall. I rarely walk on an unfamiliar path because there is greater safety for me when I know what is coming beyond my downward focus. If I want to look up at anything I must stop, make sure I have good balance, then lift my gaze to look. I have certainly bumped my head a few times on low branches, and I know there is a great deal of beauty that I miss because my focus is cemented to a very small area in front of me.
As human beings we often go through our days focused on the tasks that are right in front of us. We only see a very small subset of the things that are going on around us, and we miss so much of what God offers. If we do look up, we stop where we are to see and appreciate what is happening at that moment, and then we are right back at the task again, head down and moving forward.
God wants us to move forward in life with our eyes up, scanning all that is around, taking in all the possibilities that God is offering. By seeing all that is available as we move forward, we can change direction to fit God’s purposes. Then we can potentially move onto unfamiliar paths that offer deeper meaningful connections to God and more fulfilling experiences. I may walk with my head down, but I will seek the horizon in life.
Prayer Phrase
God, help me seek peace for me, peace for us, peace for everyone, and peace for our planet. Amen.
Spiritual Practice
The International Community
Find (or imagine) a globe or map of the world. Look at all the nations and find a country other than your own. Notice the geographic distance between your homeland and this one. Picture a person living there. Pray for this person. Sense God’s love connecting you just as the oceans connect the continents. Thank God for the spiritual connection you have with all of God’s people around the globe. Ask a blessing on the church as a community sharing Christ’s peace, drawing all into the family of God.
Today’s Prayer for Peace
Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.
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