Soul, Look Up

The heaviness settles in. The despair circles, threatens. The questions multiply, the doubts form quickly.

Some days it doesn't seem to take much. News of natural disasters, of devastated families, of broken marriages, of broken churches.

Other days, the first hint of my own sin can send me spiraling.

What is there to do, when this despair is coming for us in quick measure?

Soul, look up.

What will I find?

I will find hope, an eternal, unfailing hope. A hope at the first word spoken, a hope offered so freely, a hope that penetrates this broken soul, that heals again and again. Hope that is firm, though I be slain. Hope that leads to joy, hope that is unseen but living.

I will find light, the creator of light, the Light of the World, the illuminator of my path, the one who makes light from dark. The light from the Word, the light that leads.

I will find peace, the Prince of peace, the perfect peace that comes when my mind is fixed outside of my own life and circumstances and this world, the spoken peace, like a river, the peace to which I am called, the peace that surpasses all.

I will find rest, deep seated rest for my soul. Rest by him who needs no rest, rest offered, rest given, rest promised eternal. Rest for those heavy laden, rest for those laboring, rest for the hurting, a healing rest.

I will find good, not the good that makes sense of the world, but the One who is always good. Who means good for me, who has promised good. Who because of his own good, has imaged some good in me. The true source of good, my trustworthy good God.

I will find love, steadfast, abounding, never ceasing, extending. Patient and kind love, love incarnate, who came down to live broken in this world. Love that encircles, stronger than despair love, everlasting arms of love.

Soul, look up.