Lift
“Lift up your heads, O gates!
And lift them up, O ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
Who is this King of glory?
The LORD of hosts,
he is the King of glory! Selah” Psalm 24:9-10
“And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14
Insight
You may have heard the age-old question, “If a tree falls in the forest, and there’s no one around to hear it, does it make a sound?” It’s an interesting one that philosophers have used for hundreds of years to explore the tension between perception and reality. It illustrates that in order for us to experience something, we have to be aware of it in the first place.
Don’t worry, I’m not here to give a lesson on human consciousness, but I mention this idea because I have found it to be particularly true for my faith. To know God requires that I encounter him, and to encounter him, I must pay attention. It is only when I purposefully draw my attention toward God that I am able to experience him in a personal way. This kind of first-hand knowing is what makes a relationship with Jesus so transformational.
It also can make God easy to miss. Throughout my life I have found it easy to become distracted by chaos and hardship, leading me to blame him for his seeming absence. It’s easy to think of this physical life as separate from God when we are more aware of our world than his presence within it. The truth is that he is here with us, regardless of whether we notice him. He’s not just here, but he is forever extending an invitation to experience his goodness and faithfulness, no matter what else surrounds us!
This is what led me to pick “lift” for my word of 2023. Psalm 24 inspired me to use this word specifically because it paints a beautiful picture of the King’s arrival to the temple, urging the people to lift their heads and declare his glory as he enters human space. This liturgical psalm affirms God’s sovereignty over creation, encourages us to seek him honestly, and then reminds us of God’s power and glory which we later see fully displayed in the person of Jesus. It’s a celebration of God being with us.
As someone who has walked with him most of their life, it’s easy for me to forget just how radically near God is to us. This past year I spent a lot of time diving deep into some of life’s biggest questions around identity and purpose. While I often wish God revealed himself through big and loud answers, instead I experienced him most in small moments of beauty and delight in the midst of my confusion. He entered into my uncertainty when I wanted him to take it away, and only by lifting my eyes was I able to see this as the very proof of his presence.
Every day is an invitation to experience holy communion with Jesus, and our attention is how we declare our acceptance of it!
Reflection
Are there areas of your life where you feel God is absent?
How might you lift your head to grant him your attention and acknowledge his glory?
Prayer
Father, you are the king of glory. The earth and all that it contains is yours, and we are your children. Full of grace and truth, you dwell among us and draw near to us even when we do not notice it. We thank you for this gift! Help us to lift our heads to you even in moments when we feel you are absent. May we open ourselves to you each day and meet you just as you meet us. Amen.
Katie Melton, Care Coordinator, wrote today’s devotional.