Lift Up Your Eyes and See What is Promised

Just this week I completed a pair of landscapes for a client.  The titles are "Lift Up Your Eyes and See" and "See What is Promised", both from Genesis 13, 24x24in oil on board. 

They are inspired by the Western North Carolina mountains but are a reference to the goodness of God. Isn't it true that we can see His goodness when we look at His creation? Glorious.

Today the Lord showed me something new--that this glorious creation is also a reflection of His promises. While coming up with a title for these pieces I could not stop thinking about Abraham and his great faith as he traveled to new lands. He trusted the promises made by God. The Lord comforted him over and over by revealing His covenant to him--"Lift up your eyes and see the land that I will give to you and your offspring forever," Genesis 13. Again, in Genesis 15, Abraham is told, "Look up at the heavens and count the stars...so many shall your offspring be."

In the past I have focused on the result part of these statements--the things that God was promising specifically to Abraham and his descendants. But today I see the action involved to get to those promises. 
I was shown that I can view beautiful world around me and recall His promises.  This beauty can be a physical reminder of what He has done and is doing! 
When we need encouragement, when things are not going as we think that they should, when we cannot imagine that our situations are working toward any purpose or good, He says, "Lift up your eyes, Look up; believe in the goodness of my plans, trust in my promises."

I have been given a new perspective.  

8/20/2013