Looking for His Greatness

“Look! Look! Look, Brookie!” I turn my head in anticipation and curiosity, wondering what I will see. My niece’s upside down handstand? My oldest nephew and his latest sports swag? My youngest nephew and his lego tower a split second before he karate chops it down? Each time I hear “Look!” from one of those little voices I anticipate something joyful, maybe a little messy or scary, but joyful nonetheless.

Jeremiah proclaims to the Israelites “Thus says the Lord, Stand by the roads and look…” (Jer 6:16). When the Israelites heard Jeremiah say this word “look” did they anticipate something joyful or damaging? Were they willing to stand and look? Or did they want to shut their eyes tight and avoid what was coming?

The looking takes the standing to a whole new level. It’s different than standing by the roads and staring blankly, closing your eyes, daydreaming, or worrying. Looking around in the waiting allows us to see multiple roads before us. We see others passing by. We see far off opportunities.

All too often the multiple roads before us overwhelm with the great unknown and cause us to shut down. The options become too much. We see others passing by, moving forward. It leads to paralysis by comparison.

We want to take the journey that isn’t ours to take. We fixate on everything we don’t have. We listen to the lies of our human insufficiency. We consider missed opportunities, never to return. We feel stuck in the waiting and standing by the roads because we look for damage done and damages to come.  

We doubt our eyes will see opportunities leading to joy, goodness, and salvation.

In 1 Samuel 12 the prophet Samuel gives his farewell speech to the Israelites. He’s done. He’s the last judge before the season of kings takes effect. He anointed Saul as king, giving the people what they wanted.  

In his farewell speech, Samuel very similarly warns the Israelites to look in their waiting. “Now, therefore, stand still and see this great thing that the Lord will do before your eyes…And you shall know and see that your wickedness is great…” (1 Samuel 12:16-17).

Here, Samuel warns them to see what is before them. He wants them to look with anticipation to the great things the Lord will do. Yet, he also reminds them to attentively see their flaws and wickedness. Seeing the greatness of our sin allows us to see the greatness of the Lord more clearly.

He finishes out his speech with “Only fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things he has done for you” (1 Samuel 12: 24). Reflecting on what we have seen Him do in the past gives freedom to seeing His greatness in the present and future. These memories are concrete experiences reminding us of His power and attention to detail.

Both Samuel and Jeremiah seem to encourage the Israelites in different seasons of life to stand and look. It is important to recognize the past, present, and future. Look to the great things the Lord completed in your past. Look at the flaws and sins you are living presently. Please don’t stop there! Look with hope towards the great things he is going to do in the future.

If we focus on our sin, our flaws, our insufficiencies, our idols, our list of everything we are not we will never move forward. We will stand stuck at the side of the road, immovable. We must remember our sins are bookended by His salvation. Our sin is bookended with the great things he has done and the great things he will do.

All too often I hear God whispering to me, “Look Brooke!” I turn my head anticipating destruction. Another family member has died, another disease has taken control of someone, another person has rejected me, another burden seems unbearable, another sleepless night wins with worry, or another failure surfaces to my mind. I believe I have been met with far too many negatives in life to truly feel joy is believable here and now. So, I stop looking for it.

When God says, “Look!” it’s entirely different than when my niece and nephews say, “Look!” Why do I anticipate such joy from a six-year-old compared to the God of the universe? Obviously, I want to trust the God of the universe more than the kid who farts on my face or picks his nose and wipes it on me.

I want to stand by the roads placed before me looking for His joy and greatness. I don’t want to stand stuck expecting devastation and loss. I want to live looking for life all around me.

Lord, our sin, and devastation is bookended by your greatness. Widen our vision so we don’t narrowly see our failures. Remind us of your faithful salvation and greatness in the past so we can anticipate believable joy. Give us willing spirits to see your goodness in the life set before us as we stand by the roads and hear you whisper, “Look!” Keep us alert because you’re preparing us to move.

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