Stop...Don't Look Up!
As we prepare for the eclipse, you've probably been seeing a lot of warnings on Facebook: Don't look at the sun. Could cause retina damage. Just the fact that we aren't allowed to do something, causes us to want to do it even more. Even though we know that by disobeying the rules set forth we can permanently damage our retina, the idea of seeing an eclipse that we haven't seen in 99 years is just to enticing. How can we let that pass without not even taking a glance? Well isn't that like life. A lot of times we are going through something and God is sending an eclipse to protect us from the rays of the sun. He knows that if we were to get exposed to the heat of the sun during this time, we couldn't take it. So he sends the moon to cover the sun causing an eclipse. It's a beautiful natural occurrence caused when God causes the moon to pass in front of the sun. God is just being awesome by causing the moon to pass in front of the sun, one of his mighty creations to pass in front of another mighty creation so we won't be burnt up, but we want to meddle in his business. But that's God's business. I hear God saying "Stop...don't look up." The eclipse is my business. Yes I know it's beautiful. Yes I know it's enticing. But it's not for you to see. How many of us go through things in life and we want to meddle in God's business. We want to see how he does what he does. We want to look up when he clearly told us not to. The doctor said don't worry about this. I got this. Even if you were to look you would never understand it. My many years of grad school and doctoral training is what qualifies me to look at the eclipse. But your eyes can handle it. Stop...don't look up. What in your life are you trying to meddle in, that you know you shouldn't be? For me as a singer/songwriter creative person entrepreneur, I'm always living in a state of uncertainty not knowing where my next opportunity or paycheck is going to come from. This can cause a lot of anxiety. Especially when rent/mortgage is due and I don't know if God is working to open the next door so I can pay my bills (even though he always comes through). In that moment I want to play God. I'm tempted to look up. Even though I know I'm supposed to trust Him. I want to look up. I want to see what he's doing. But he wants me to trust him. He says baby if you could see what I'm doing it would blow your mind or possibly make you blind. I know you want to look, I know you want to know what I'm doing but you're going to have to trust me on this one. This is too much for you to handle. Your eyes aren't qualified to look up. The rays of the sun could burn you. "But why God?", you ask. "That's not fair. I just want to look. Your word says "oh taste and see"...can't I just see? I want to know that everything is going to be OK. I want to see (or control) the beautiful things you're doing." This reminds me of the garden of Eden. When God issued a decree to Adam and Eve not to eat of the fruit. The simple fact that they weren't allowed to eat of the tree made them want to taste it even more. How many of us, are just tempted to look up at the sun today. It can't possibly be that bad the devil is saying. But all the scientists and people who know better have issued a decree "Stop...don't look up." But the idea of not being able to do something makes us wang to do it even more. So we buy eclipse glasses. We figure out a way so that we can look up without suffering the consequences of looking up. But he said "don't look up. Stop meddling in what I'm doing. I know you want to see the eclipse. Yes it's beautiful but it isn't for you." Can you imagine. God is doing something beautiful in your life. Something he hasn't done in 99 years but you're not allowed to look? He says some things are too big for you. You're going to have to trust me on this one. I know you want to look but you aren't designed to handle the eclipse. You can handle the sun when it isn't blocked because your eyes wouldn't dare look but when I send the moon to cover the sun, it gives an illusion that it's safe to look at what I'm doing but the same harmful rays that existed before I blocked the sun are still there and can cause your eyes much damage. I'm trying to protect you. I know it seems safe, but it isn't. I'm blocking something from hurting you right now but you can't look. You're just going to have to trust me. The unseen beauty. Men will write about this phenomenon for years to come but you can't see it. Your eyes aren't designed for it. So back to my career. I want to know so bad what God is doing sometimes. I want to look and meddle or "see how the story ends" according to the popular gospel song "Let Go & Let God" by DeWayne Woods. But there are certain areas of my career that I have to tell myself "stop...don't look up." Don't worry yourself with those things. Don't worry about how it's going to happen. Just know that it's going to happen. What areas in your life are you trying to meddle in where God has clearly said "stop don't look up." Perhaps it's on the job where you find out that your colleague is getting paid more than you and instead of taking it up with God you go snooping around trying to find out how much everyone else is getting paid so you can sue the company. But God is saying stop...don't look up. Little do you know I'm working on lining up a new job for you so you can get paid what you deserve. You're just going to have to trust me. Start putting in your application somewhere else. I've got something better for you. Stop...don't look up. You find out your boyfriend is cheating. Instead of trusting God and leaving you want to go through his emails and stalk him so you can know details: who the other person is, what restaurants they went to, where they work, etc. etc. God is saying don't look, just leave. I have someone out there who's better for you. Who will treat you with the love and respect you deserve. I'm trying to block you from this pain because I know your eyes and heart can't handle it but you just can't resist. Stop...don't look up. I'm trying to help you here. I'm trying to save you from a broken heart. You're going through something challenging in life and instead of trusting God to get you through it like he always does, you consult with a psychic and give them your money only to have them tell you something you already knew. Stop...don't look up. You just applied for a job and there's a waiting period so instead of praying and asking God for His will to be done, you start praying for your own will to be done. The prayer goes something like this: "Lord I need this job! Please let these people hire me. If they don't hire me I'll be so disappointed I won't know what to do with myself. This is the only job for me. If this doesn't work out, nothing else will." Then we start to idolize the job and the position to the point where God can't give it to us because if he does, he knows it will own us. He said don't look up. Stop trying to be me and write your future. Only I can do that. I want to give you the job but I care more about you learning to depend on me, not a job. So if by giving you this job, that means you'll come to idolize it, then I can't give it to you. Change your outlook then maybe I can bless you. Stop...Don't look up. So today as we prepare for the eclipse, I know it may be tempting to look but remember God says "stop...don't look up!" Obedience is better than sacrifice. He's trying to save us from something. Not everything is for your eyes. God loves you too much to let you see everything. Stop don't look up. I'm creating an eclipse to block you from life's harsh rays. I know you want to see what i'm doing but you're gonna have to trust me. Stop...Don't Look Up!