Now, look at Me

My little brother learned how to do a tripod, or the base of a headstand. He was so proud that he could do such a thing, he would beg and plead and cajole each family member to watch him at least 5 times a day. He would show all his friends, and eventually the “Hey, look at me!” just became background music to our family.
However, we went up to a wedding a couple of weeks later. There was an open dance floor, and all my little cousins ran out and started showing off their dance moves. Asher ran out there, and his head went down and he stayed there, doing solid tripods in the middle of the dance floor. And with everyone he begged to look at him, their eyes would glaze over, or would scold him from doing his move in the middle of the floor for fear of him being hurt.
And, like so many other things, this got me thinking as to how that applied to our spiritual life. I didn’t have to think too hard.
With school and work and family and Bible Studies and Bible Clubs and church and drama and so much more piled up in my life, it’s so tempting to run ahead and let everyone know “Look at me! I’ve got my life together, I can balance everything, I can handle everything all on my own!” Except for one problem. Everytime I reach that point in my life, where I think I can finally be able to say that, a curveball gets thrown my way. And everytime I toot my own horn, the looks and the reactions I get from people spell a clear message: Now is not the time and the place for this; don’t hurt yourself.
I was thinking that I had finally gotten everything caught up a couple weeks ago. And then that proverbial curveball came along- I had to not only sing for chapel, but I was going to talk, give a little message to my entire school! Public speaking is not my forte- I can do it, but I get so nervous, I think I shake the entire earth off its axis. But I still went ahead. I wrote my entire thing out weeks ahead of time, I got everything planned to a T. And the day of, I went to school, ready to just get this thing over with. I found out nothing was set for the music powerpoints- none of my singers were there to practice together, and then to make things worse, I had assigned another student to do part of the message. Except that very moment, I discovered he would no longer be doing that! Now I had an extra ten minutes to fill! And on the verge of a breakdown, I just felt God saying, “Now, look at Me.”
This was His chapel. I had dedicated my day to do everything for the glory of Him, not for what people would think of me. This was His time, for nothing surprises my God. There is a time and a season for everything, and I wish I had discovered earlier that the time and the season for seeking God and doing things for His glory is all the time! I didn’t have to wait until last minute for God’s peace, I could have had that all along!
To make a long story short, my teacher miraculously found all the powerpoints. My singers showed up 5 minutes before chapel, enough time to quickly run through all the songs. And when I went up to speak, God worked everything out to last exactly to the time that we needed for chapel. Praise God, my Saviour is worthy to be sought first!
Now, I encourage you. What are you crying for attention for? What is your claim to fame? I challenge you to look at God instead. After all, who gave you those abilities, those talents, those opportunities? Who made you?
Take time to step back. Take to time seek God. Take time to hear Him say, “Now, look at Me.”

Hear my voice when I call, O LORD; be merciful to me and answer me. My heart says of you, "Seek his face!" Your face, LORD, I will seek. Psalm 27:7-8
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:1-3