I was several hours into a 25-mile hike with my family when I realized something odd. 

I had stopped looking up.

Somewhere between mile 3 and 8, I had become so burdened down by my 40-pound pack that my gaze had become glued to the path to make sure that my feet didn’t catch on any of the numerous roots and rocks along the trail. And while this was perhaps a wise choice, I made myself look up into the vaulting cathedral of white pines that were towering above me. It took my breath away.

I’ve noticed that people often fail to look up. 

Making yourself do this often means seeing things in a whole new perspective and perhaps losing a little control of your feet. But many times I’ve been rewarded—once by a pair of bald eagles that were soaring through the treetops above my head.

Why do we stop looking up? We are all guilty of this in our lives when it comes to God. We stop talking to him, fix our eyes on earthly things, and go on autopilot through life, trying to manage everything on our own. To what end? Our good and gracious Father is right here, waiting for us to look up.

If only we looked up more often … what beauty we might behold!

“I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth” (Psalm 121:1,2).