Getting Up When You’re Down

Getting Up When You’re Down

Always look “up”

ill. The Hole in the Pocket

“Brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

-Philippians 4:8

Q: When is it a good time to be/feel “down”?

A: Whenever it is natural.

(The real & healthy answer)

Life is filled with Good Fridays.

Good-Friday kind of events (to one degree or another)

You are living right before some kind of Good/Bad Friday.

You are also living right before some kind of

Easter/Resurrection/New beginning kind of event.

Have you ever felt like Moses?

“Moses heard [and felt] the people of every family wailing at the entrance to their tents. The Lord became exceedingly angry, and Moses was troubled. 11 He asked the Lord, “Why have you brought this trouble on your servant? What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me? 12 Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth? Why do you tell me to carry them in my arms, as a nurse carries an infant, to the land you promised on oath to their ancestors? 13 Where can I get meat for all these people? They keep wailing to me, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ 14 I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me. 15 If this is how you are going to treat me, please go ahead and kill me—if I have found favor in your eyes—and do not let me face my own ruin.” 16 The Lord said to Moses: “Bring me seventy [Seek help] of Israel’s elders who are known to you as leaders…that they may stand there with you. 17 I will take some of the power of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them. They will share the burden you will not have to carry it alone. 18 “Tell the people: ‘Consecrate yourselves in preparation for tomorrow, when you will eat meat. The Lord heard you when you wailed, [Looked “Up” in the wrong way] “If only we had meat to eat! We were better off in Egypt!” Now the Lord will give you meat, and you will eat it. 19 You will not eat it for just one… two… five…ten… or twenty days, 20 but for a whole month—until it comes out of your nostrils and you loathe it—because you have rejected 21 But Moses said, [How?] “Here I am among six hundred thousand men on foot, and you say, ‘I will give them meat to eat for a whole month!’ 22 Would they have enough if flocks and herds were slaughtered for them? Would they have enough if all the fish in the sea were caught for them?” [Moses questions/challenges God and exaggerates] 23 The Lord answered Moses, “Is the Lord’s arm too short? [DO you think I CAN’T do it?] Now you will see whether or not what I say will come true for you.”… 25 Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke with him, and he took some of the power of the Spirit that was on Moses and put it on the seventy elders… 31 Now a wind went out from the Lord and drove quail in from the sea. It scattered them up to two cubits deep [3 feet] all around the camp, as far as a day’s walk [15-25 miles] in any direction. 32 All that day and night and all the next day the people went out and gathered quail. No one gathered less than ten homers.  [About 1¾ tons, or 3,500 lbs] Then they spread them out all around the camp. 33 But while the meat was still between their teeth and before it could be consumed, the anger of the Lord burned against the people and he struck them with a severe plague. 34 Therefore the place was named Kibroth Hattaavah, [“Graves of Craving”] because there they buried the people who had craved other food.”

[“The Crave-Grave” watch out for it]

-Numbers 11:10-34

“We have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!”

-Numbers 11:6

When you are “Down” Look “UP”

LITERALLY [Easiest]

Spiritually [Look to God]

Lessons

It is normal to feel “Discontentment”.

But look “UP” to God with the desire to be content.

Discontentment leads to spiritual and physical consequences.

Ask for help when stressed [Moses did],

don’t just complain [like Moses did].

Don’t idealize the past. [The food in Egypt]

“We become like the gods we worship.”

(“Look up” and become more godly.)

“Jesus often [Looked to God] withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”

-Luke 5:16

“Jesus looked up”

 “Father, the hour has come.

Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.”

[High Priestly Prayer]

- John 17:1-5

“… they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.

- John 11:41-42

Jesus literally looked up to heaven and spoke directly to the Father, showing His reliance and connection.

“Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? [Because he was focusing on the things that he should have put in his pocket with a hole in it] Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.”

-Psalm 42:5

Look Up.

Always Look Up. :-)