I was standing at the kitchen sink, elbow-deep in suds (and silent complaints) when I heard the message, loud and strong.
Slow down. Look up.
The words rang clear as a bell in my mind. All day and all week (maybe all year?) I had been grousing and venting, feeling overwhelmed and overworked as a new mother. Back then we had two children, a toddler and a baby, and their constant needs wore down my patience and energy every day. I had wanted this life, had prayed and dreamed for marriage and motherhood, but the reality of what these callings demanded from me, body and soul, felt like more than I could give.
Slow down. Look up.
One small boy was tugging at my sleeve and another was crawling over my feet when the words rose up within me. Only two short phrases and four small words. But my head snapped to attention as if I had heard them hollered aloud.
What did God mean? Slow down: that was easy enough to figure out. We all move too fast in this busy, breakneck world. But look up? What was I supposed to see?
I held the words close all summer, and then for the next year. Slow down. Look up. As with any good word, I stumbled and faltered in my attempts to follow its truth. Slowing down was easier. I tried to move more mindfully through my days. I gave my children more space and time, trying not to rush them. I kept my calendar a bit less crowded. I aimed to start my days at a slower pace, turning first to prayer.
But looking up? That still stumped me. Maybe God meant raising my eyes to the cross on the wall, to remember Jesus in the center of my busy life? But that didn’t feel like enough. Maybe I was supposed to look out the window or slip outside to behold the beauty of creation in the wide sky above me? That didn’t feel complete either.
Then one evening, when my husband came home after a long day for both of us, I stretched up to hug him and felt my body relax as my head tipped back to smile at him. Look up. Not only did looking up bring me to the eyes of my beloved, but suddenly my shoulders and neck felt more relaxed than they had in weeks. Looking up felt like coming home, body and soul.
Later I discovered something marvelous in prayer, digging into the Psalms. A new-to-me name for God that gathered together everything I yearned to find in a weary, worn-out season of life.
“But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.”
Psalm 3:3 ESV
The lifter of my head. I had never known God by this name. Never thought about the beauty of God lifting my eyes to the heavens. Never imagined Jesus cupping my chin in His hands with a loving smile. Never made the connection between how good it felt when I lifted my head and lowered my hunched shoulders — and how good it felt to return to prayer and remember God’s promises.
All of this was held in one simple phrase. The lifter of my head.
That kitchen epiphany happened years ago, but I can still hear the quiet, loving words echo in my mind. Slow down. Look up.
Since that day I have carried this name for God like a prayer in my pocket during the hardest moments of my life: grief, loss, and suffering. If this name for God were true, then it had to be true always. Even here, even now, You are still the lifter of my head.
And on beautiful days, too — when warm sun breaks through dark clouds, when a friend’s encouragement gives a boost, when my teenagers spare a rare hug, or when a song on the radio turns my gloomy mood around — I remember:
“You, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.”
When you are discouraged, God is the lifter of your head.
When you are grieving, God is the lifter of your head.
When you are weary and worn and wandering far from faith, God is still the lifter of your head.
Most importantly, none of us have to lift our heads by our own strength. God alone raises us up: the Creator who made our bodies, the Healer who touches our pain, the Light who directs our paths, and the Wisdom who guides our steps. If Lifter of My Head is part of God’s own name and nature, then we can let our heads gaze upon goodness again, shining full and bright in the face of Love itself.
Slow down. Look up. How might The Lifter of Your Head be calling to your heart today?
For more encouraging reflections on life after loss and healing after suffering, check out Laura’s weekly essays at The Holy Labor.
Oh how wonderful- “The lifter of my head”. This was so inspiring. I am in the middle of so much stuff that last night I sat with the heating pad to help with the tension. Another restless night even though I know God will get me through this. But I worry nonetheless. Thank you for sharing this.
Thank you, Madeline! I was right there with you in a restless night last night. Will be holding tight to this name of “lifter of my head” tonight, too.
Laura, this! Whew, felt these words in my gut. Yes, thank you Lord for being the lifter of our heads.
Thank you, Jenny! Grateful for your encouragement. It’s such a powerful name.
Dear Laura……If you were here with me right now, I would give you a big hug. Your words today are just what I need. As I read them, I also thought, “What does Look Up mean”. I struggled to try and think what this was. Slow Down is easy and it is one thing at my age of 77, that a really need to do. I had worked for 45 years and my jobs were always to troubleshoot and that meant speeding up and finding the answer to the problem. My mind still works that way and right now I am grieving, weary, sad and depressed with what I am going through; however, I am the type of person that does not show this to anyone. I live in a facility with over 100 people, men and women and I am actually ” the baby” of the group. I try to help and encourage others when they are struggling and I am pretty good at it. They think that I have no problems, but my emotions say otherwise. My husband has violent dementia and tried to kill me, my son called me one night 2+ years ago and told me he no longer considered me his mother and he and his wife (who has always hated me and her mother too) would never allow me to see or speak to my 1 grandchild, a boy who was 11 at the time. He is 14 now and I don’t even know what he looks like. I had to evict my husband from the house and sell it as we both needed money. We had lived there for 40 years and it also was a very difficult thing to do. Does anyone know how many things they collect in 40 years? I had to donate so many of my treasured things, but there was 1 thing I refused to give away or sell. I was told it was worth over $20,000, but it is an Italian sculpture of the Last Supper that was bought in Italy for $2,000 and back in the 70’s that was a lot of money, but if I was down to my last dollar, I would not sell it. That’s how much it means to me. As I read on with your words, Laura I became even more fascinated with what “Look up” means. Thank you for telling us as when you revealed the answer, I had never thought of that, but Laura, it instantly gave me hope that God was watching over me always and was doing things that I could not see. You really encouraged me to go back to my strong faith and I will never forget those 4 words. SLOW DOWN. LOOK UP ! Four marvelous, but simple words to remember. Thank you for sharing your story and I will surely work on always remembering and knowing He will lift up my head and I will know that He is right there with me. Love to you and your words. I see you live in a cold state. I live in PA and today it was 0 when I got up with a high today of 20. We haven’t had this kind of weather in years. It plans to stay like this for a week. We can’t get out. Our cars are covered in snow and ice and I don’t have the strength to clean it off anymore, but somehow, I must as I need to go to the store. Love to you and your family and you are truly a person that really cares about us……………………Betsy Basile
Dear Betsy, thank you for your kind words and all your encouragement. I pray that God will continue to lift your head today, through all you are carrying and even through this bitter cold!
Laura, your message today really resonates with me. Thank you!
Thank you, Irene! Peace to you and yours.
Laura,
What a great reminder to slow down and look up to the “lifter of our heads.”
Thank you, I’ll be sure to share it.
Sending you New Year’s joy, Lisa Wilt.
Thank you, Lisa! Sending much joy and peace your way in the New Year, too.
Oh my goodness! What a simple, yet powerful, request! This devotion came right when I needed it. My world doesn’t include children of my own, but I’ve been fortunate to be able to help with my sister’s grandchildren. They are grown up now, but this Slow down, Look up message can apply to my own health needs now. MS has taken my own body on such a different path than before. I loved being outside and active all the time. Now I am inside all the time, because the different temperatures cause different problems for me. I can walk around the house without assistance IF I can slow down and look up… Watch carefully where I’m going. My other “looking up” is when I’m in my recliner. Looking up above the TV is picture of The Last Supper and a cross that has JOY by it. The picture was a present from my mom’s maid of honor. We were pen pals for a couple of decades after my own mom passed. She gave me that awesome framed picture the year she turned 100. COVID got her at the age of 103 years old. What JOY I can feel by looking at that special picture is indescribable. It calms me and reminds me, we are never alone. Thanks for this article. It’s one that fits my own life really well. Bless you.
Peggy, I am so grateful to hear how these words have spoken to you! Thank you for sharing how you continue to slow down & look up, even through the challenges and losses you have experienced. What a gift to have such treasures in your home to keep your head lifted and your eyes toward God!
Laura this is for me what you have said in your devotion you wrote for incourage. Slow down look up. I don’t slow down that is my problem. I do my elderly Dad who is 83 84 next months cleaning of his house as he not able to do it. Monday to Friday. That means cleaning his Kitchen Bathroom living room fire if been lit. Putting on wash for him if needed hanging it out. Hoovering and washing his floors of whole house. I have my own health problems that why I don’t work and do my Dad’s. My sister’s go at night to see our Dad their Dad too and make him his tea keep him company for a while. If I didn’t my sister’s wouldn’t have the time to do all I do for our Dad. As they work and have family to see to. I have no kids but married to a lovely Christian like me. My Dad needs it done the days I do for him. My Dad not saved. I do for the Love of the Lord and the Love of my Dad. I pray for his salvation. I am person who likes to leave what I do right. Like do a job well. I have to make sure my Dad’s is probably tidy. Not left that that will do until tomorrow. No I want it all left nice and tidy today if you know what I mean. Then when you if my sister’s or anyone else when you walk into my Dad’s Home you go wow that id really tidy. Not just say it tidy. Then I think if I didn’t do it as well as I should. You then say tidy to yourself but could be better. That would annoy me if I heard that. So I have leave it every day a 100per cent. 99 wouldn’t do me. I have had people and my Husband say Dawn you do far to much. As all as it tidy it will be ok. Then I have my own house to see with my Husband help. Plus make the tea in the evening. These people say Dawn you have to think of your health and not feeling you have to do your Dad’s 100 per cent. As I have over done it in the past because of wanting everything done right. I suffer seizures. God has been saying to me what he said to you slow down look up Dawn. I don’t and I don’t take enough rest do less. I think of my Dad and and say he needs me. Then think to myself if I don’t do no one else will for my Dad. I think I am not being very Christian if I don’t do it for my Dad showing I care for other like my Dad and help them as it says in Bible. To help your neighbour that means those less well of than you that need your help by that your showing Jesus love to them. The way Jesus would care for people in his day on earth like me with my Dad. But Christians have told me like my Husband to slow down you can help your Dad by doing his house but not do as much. God has spoken to me about this many times. My Husband has said to people Dawn don’t listen. Like it falls on death ears. God has sent me as I read them too Daysprings reading. In them now and then they have been about rest. God has said slow look up. I find that hard to ask I feel if I don’t do all I do for my Dad I am letting him down. So I have to displine myself to start do what God’s days for my health. With doing to much I have found tiredness set in and I get to tired to read God’s word and pray at times. Then I say I will do it tomorrow God understands I need my rest to tired now. That my fault. So what you wrote today Laura really spoke to me. God said Dawn I sent you so many times of different things to tell you rest more like Incourage and Daysprings reading. Thank you again in my prayers all incourage. Love Dawn Ferguson-Little