April 3, 2017 (Monday)
Our town has a bypass highway, s.h. 35. From Rockport, it has some controlled access entries and exits, but it also has some crossovers. It becomes a freeway as it nears Gregory.
When it crosses s.h. 188, it becomes an overpass. The clearance under the overpass is 16 feet. The roadway is probably 20 feet high. Add the elevation of the land and the car is whizzing along at about 46 feet above sea level.
When one drives on the overpass, from that height he or she can see the water towers in Rockport, the oil rigs under construction in Ingleside, the 500 ft. tall structure near Portland, and many wind turbines scattered here and there. What a difference a higher point of view makes. As one goes higher and higher, he sees more and more.
I recall one evening on a plane destined for Corpus Christi. I saw we were over the city of Port Lavaca. I saw the lights along highway 87 and they led to a view of Victoria. It was a uniquely clear night and as I lifted my eyes toward the horizon, I saw San Antonio! What a beautiful sight in the night. Once again, the higher you go, the more you see.
I remember another flight eastward toward Houston from Los Angeles. For some reason, we were flying at 42,000 feet (perhaps to ride in the jet stream). Anyway, from that enormous height, we looked down as we passed San Antonio, and saw the entire city with one glance. We were about 8 miles high.
Wonder what the view is like from this flyover junction?
I keep hearing in my mind the words, “Come up higher” They are similar words to those in Revelation 11:12, in which God says to his two prophets, “Come up here.” You never read “down to Jerusalem,” in the Bible; it is always “up to Jerusalem,” because that city was built on mountains. In the same way, we’re always moving upward when we are seeking God.
When Jonah was running from God, he went down to Joppa, down into a ship, then down into the hold of the ship, was thrown down into the sea, where he went down into the belly of a great fish. In that dark place, the only direction available to him was “up.” He prayed and God delivered him and sent him on his mission. He was finally moving upward toward God, instead of downward, away from Him.
Which way are you headed? Those of us who have had our “ups” and “downs” in the Christian life know that “up” is better in every way. One of the great advantages is the better view from the higher place.
Paul bared his soul and told us, “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14 ESV). That tug on your heart and the urge within to walk with God are the result of His high calling. He’s calling. He’s calling you. He’s calling you upward. The view is great when you are up there with the Lord.