A Different Point of View

Click here to read Isaiah 21


In this passage Isaiah gives us the image of him taking a post in a watchtower where he can see who is coming.  Watchtowers are about changing our perspective, getting above the things that block our view, being able to scan the horizon and see further.  Most of us don't have many watchtower moments in our lives.  Most of the time in the midst of life's journey, I don't see the proverbial forest for the trees.  The trees tower above my head, they clutter my ability to see, and if I am not careful I can run smack dab into one
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I am reminded of a prayer by Thomas Merton,  "My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going.  I do not see the road ahead of me.  I cannot know for certain where it will end." That prayer summarizes the way I feel on certain days in my life.  The image of finding the space in my life to get a clear view is not easy.  Most of the time, my busyness can cause life around me to be blurry.  And even if I have a few fleeting moments to get to the top of the watchtower, by thte time I have raced up the stairs to the top, start to feel my breathing and pulse return to normal, only to feel like I have to race back down the stairs to get on with life. Many today talk about our addiction to hurry.  Others say we walk up in the morning already feeling like we are behind.  The idea is not that we can shift our perspective by visiting the watchtower once.  We need more time to truly scan our surroundings and take time to soak in the scene from the watchtower.

I remember when my wife and I were in Hawaii, we climbed Diamond Head Mountain.  Once we reached the top, we spent several hours looking in all directions.  We would have stayed longer, but we needed to walk back.  The amazing thing is that the ocean looked so differen from the beach level when compared to looking down on it from 762 feet above.  We need moments to shift our perspective.  We need to also hold that in tension with the wisdom of Merton's prayer: that no matter what we do, or how much time we spend in the watchtower, we will not always be able to see fully the road in front of us.

I encourage you to find time tomorrow or the next day for a watchtower moment.  It does not need to be somewhere high...especially if the thought of that causes you to break out in a cold sweat.  Maybe your watchtower is a coffee shop, walk around a block, or the stillness of a room in your home.  Give this some thought.  And if you want to find me, I will be in the balcony of our church.  May you notice the traces of God's grace in your watchtower moments this week.

Blessings and peace!