“Look from the place where thou art” (Gen. xiii. 14).
Let us now see the blessedness of faith. Our own littleness and
nothingness sometimes becomes bondage. We are so small in our own eyes we
dare not claim God’s mighty promises. We say: “If I could be sure I was in
God’s way I could trust.” This is all wrong. Self-consciousness is a great
barrier to faith. Get your eyes on Him and Him alone; not on your faith,
but on the Author of your faith; not a half look, but a steadfast,
prolonged look, with a true heart and fixedness of purpose, that knows no
faltering, no parleying with the enemy without a shadow of fear. When you
get afraid you are almost sure to fail.
Travelers who have crossed the Alps know how dangerous those mountain
passes are, how narrow the foothold, how deep the rocky ravines and how
necessary to safety it is that you should look up continually; one
downward glance into the dizzy depths would be fatal; and so if we would
surmount the heights of faith we must look up—look up. Get your eyes off
yourself, off surrounding circumstances, off means, off gifts, to the
Great Giver.