Eyes Lifted to the Heights
Lift your gaze: living from your heavenly ground changes how you see everything.
Devotional Credit: Abide Above by Miles Stanford
Photo Credit: Unsplash
Miles Stanford invites us to lift our gaze from the dust of earth to the heights of heaven. We live in a world so saturated with earthly concerns that it is easy to forget where our true life is found. Stanford laments that the Church can become so tethered to the here and now that it loses its heavenly effectiveness. We are reminded that, like the Greeks who said, “Sir, we would see Jesus,” our hearts are hungry for a vision of the Risen One who sits at the right hand of God. The devotional encourages us to set our minds on things above, not on earthly things, because our life is hidden with Jesus in God. It is a call to live from our heavenly position, not merely to aspire to it.
The writer reflects on the Church’s tendency to leave the teaching of Paul behind, settling for what is popular rather than what is heavenly. Paul’s message was saturated with the reality of our union with Jesus and our place in Him. To abandon this perspective is to forfeit the peace, joy, and power that come from knowing our standing before the Father. Stanford points out that our position in Jesus is a gift, not a reward for merit. It is intended to display the immeasurable riches of God’s grace. The emphasis is not on what we are but on who He is and what He has done for us.
Understanding and resting in this heavenly ground transforms us. We move from worry to rest, from striving to abiding. The devotional urges us to worry only about one thing: that we might be drawn down to earthly thinking. When we remain on our heavenly ground, we find that heavenly things are safe in the hands of the One who is “far above all.” We discover that our life is secure, hidden with Jesus in God. This knowledge frees us to live with confidence, courage, and joy.
As fellow travelers along the way, we do not walk this path alone. Stanford’s reflections remind us that lifting our minds and hearts to our heavenly position changes everything. We become people of hope rather than despair, of peace rather than panic. In Jesus, we are invited to rise above the circumstances that would pull us down and to embrace the glorious reality that our life is hidden with Him. We are grateful for Miles Stanford’s insights, which help us see Jesus more clearly and encourage us to live from our true home in Him.
Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
My beloved, you are seated with Jesus in heavenly places. Your life is hidden with Him, secure in the heart of your Father. Do not let your thoughts be consumed by earthly worries, for you have died to the old life, and the new life you live is in union with your Lord. Set your affection on things above, where Jesus is seated at My right hand.
You are a new creation. Your position before Me is not earned; it is given, and it reflects My grace and kindness toward you. When you rest in this truth, peace floods your heart. You no longer strive to gain what is already yours. Your identity is defined by My love and by your union with My Son. Do not return to the ground of worry, for I have lifted you to the ground of rest.
Let My Spirit remind you that your life is hidden with Jesus. When trials come, remember that you are not alone. My power is at work in you, and My presence is your constant companion. Every blessing in heaven is available to you because you are in My Son. Trust in this and let it transform your daily walk.
Scripture References: Colossians 3:2-3, Ephesians 2:4-6, Galatians 2:20, Romans 6:4, John 15:4-5, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Romans 8:1-2, Philippians 4:19, Ephesians 1:3, Hebrews 4:10.
Real-Life Analogy
Imagine you are using binoculars to view a distant mountain. If you focus on the ground beneath your feet, the scene in the distance remains blurry and indistinct. But when you adjust the lenses and lift your gaze, the mountain comes into sharp focus. The difference is not in the mountain itself but in where you choose to set your sights. Our spiritual life is similar. When we focus on our earthly worries, everything heavenly seems distant. When we lift our gaze and focus on our position in Jesus, our true purpose and identity become clear.
Today, if I find myself distracted by earthly concerns, I can gently refocus my heart and whisper, “Lord, I trust You to live Your life through me in this moment.” Just as adjusting the binoculars brings clarity, turning my attention to my union with Him brings peace and purpose.
Prayer of Confidence
Lord, thank You that my life is hidden with Jesus in You. I rejoice that I am seated with Him in heavenly places and that my identity is secure. I gratefully affirm that my standing before You is Your gift, not my achievement. I rest in the peace and power that come from knowing that all the fullness of heaven is mine in Him. As I go through this day, I live from my heavenly ground, confident that You are at work in and through me.