Reach Up
“So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, ‘Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?’” - Acts 1:6
Why settle for good enough and getting by when we can be more, have more, and do more for the kingdom of God? If we are going to go from good to great, the Bible gives us three things we must do. The first thing we must do is “reach up.”
When the followers of Jesus are wondering about their fate and their future, the text says they take their questions and their concerns to the Lord who held their future in His hands. Acts 1:6 says, “So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, ‘Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?’”
In other words, they ask Jesus, “So, what’s next?” When faced with uncertainty about what lay ahead, they see this as a time to seek direction, guidance, and reassurance from God. They want to know the status of the promise God made to them and to their ancestors. Is this the end or is there more that God has in store for their lives?
They wanted to know if it was all over. Did they leave everything to follow Jesus for nothing, or was there more? So rather than imploding or exploding, they took their burdens to the Lord and they left them there. They looked up, and they reached up as if they were lifting up their petitions, their pleas, and their supplications, to appeal for answers that only come from God.
Like these followers, we must reach up as we build upon the past and look forward to the future. Reaching up is about remembering the primacy of God and the worship of God as the central feature and component of our daily lives. We must recommit ourselves to looking to God for hope, inspiration, and direction so that we know what to do next!
Why settle for good enough and getting by when we can be more, have more, and do more for the kingdom of God? If we are going to go from good to great, the Bible gives us three things we must do. The first thing we must do is “reach up.”
When the followers of Jesus are wondering about their fate and their future, the text says they take their questions and their concerns to the Lord who held their future in His hands. Acts 1:6 says, “So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, ‘Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?’”
In other words, they ask Jesus, “So, what’s next?” When faced with uncertainty about what lay ahead, they see this as a time to seek direction, guidance, and reassurance from God. They want to know the status of the promise God made to them and to their ancestors. Is this the end or is there more that God has in store for their lives?
They wanted to know if it was all over. Did they leave everything to follow Jesus for nothing, or was there more? So rather than imploding or exploding, they took their burdens to the Lord and they left them there. They looked up, and they reached up as if they were lifting up their petitions, their pleas, and their supplications, to appeal for answers that only come from God.
Like these followers, we must reach up as we build upon the past and look forward to the future. Reaching up is about remembering the primacy of God and the worship of God as the central feature and component of our daily lives. We must recommit ourselves to looking to God for hope, inspiration, and direction so that we know what to do next!
Subscribe Now for Free Daily Devotions
Recent
Archive
2025
January
Plenty of RoomThankful for Your SeatWho God Invites to the TableThat’s the PointWe Do Not Have a Monopoly on GodStop Talking So LoudLet God Handle the Guest ListA Long-Awaited ReunionSeeing Jesus for YourselfIn Possession of a Personal PromiseGet in the Right PositionReady to ReceiveAligning Your Life for God's PromiseWaiting with ExpectancyGrounded in PrayerStrength in PrayerPatience Through PrayerStay Focused Through PrayerGod's Conditional PromisesGod’s PriorityGrounded in FaithTrusting God's TimingThe Assurance of God's PromisesIs It Well With Your Soul?Health vs. HealingStewarding Your BodyA Holistic View of SpiritualityGod Cares About Your BodyWhat You Put in MattersNourishing Your SoulThe Power of Prevention
February
The Power of a ComebackHealing from the PastStop Blaming and Start TrustingBury the Past to Claim the FutureFacing Trauma with TruthCelebrate That You SurvivedRepair What is BrokenNothing God Can’t FixDon’t Swing at Bad PitchesStick to God’s PlanDon’t Let Desperation Drive YouShift Your WeightWho Knows Best?A Good Idea Isn’t Always a God IdeaPeace in God’s PlanFinding Purpose in God’s PlanProsperity in God’s PlanTrusting God’s Plan, Pace, and ProcessKnowing When to PivotGod Hasn’t Given Up on YouNext-Level Faith Requires PerseveranceA New Revelation of GodIt’s Not All About YouNext-Level ConnectionsNext-Level CommitmentA Prayer That Moves GodPrayers That Carry a BurdenPray With Boldness
March
A Solid FoundationPositioned for BlessingMarked by LoveTrust God's JudgmentRest in God's DeliveranceLet Go of ControlWhat You Want MostWhy Church Still MattersFaith in the Midst of DisappointmentJoy for the JourneyA Place of SafetyStrength in CommunityPeace in the ChaosThe Purpose of the ValleySeasons ChangeUnshaken in the StormHold OnThe Power of ResilienceNever AloneGod Is Closer Than You ThinkLet Go of WorryLet Go of WorryBelieve Before You SeeResilient FaithHow to Be a Success God's WayTrue Success Starts with the SoulSuccess Through SurrenderCharacter That Speaks for ItselfThe Power of Being RealKeep GrowingSuccess in the Face of Opposition
No Comments