Reaching Up, Reaching Out, Reaching In

Reaching up is synonymous with “knowing”, this means knowing God and seeking after him first and foremost as stated in Matthew 6:33

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

That means if we seek God first and foremost above all things everything else will fall into its place. The Bible gives us a concrete example of what happens when we “Reach Up” and seek to know God in 2 Chronicles 7:14
“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
This is a promise that God is making to those who seek Him, He is saying “Expect Things to Happen!” How does this fit into everything we do? The answer is simple; in everything we do we should first humble ourselves and seek the creator of the universe and not just for the blessings but to bless Him and then “all these things will be given to you as well.” This Idea naturally leads itself into Reaching In.

Reaching In is something very few people really like to do. The reason is because it involves their” junk”! It involves taking a good long look. It is taking an inventory so to speak, of the things that they have stuffed away and locked up in their hearts. The reason that people have such issue with Reaching In is because it is painful. Do you remember growing up as a child? Those times you had those pains in your arms and legs. They call them “growing pains” and out of that you became an adolescent, a teen and eventually and adult. In growing you are also becoming something, so Reaching In is all about growing and becoming who God has created you to be. Scripture states in Genesis 1:27 that God created man in his own image. You are mirror designed to reflect the very image of the creator of the universe.
Have you ever seen a dirty mirror? You can’t see much reflected back from it can you? Reaching In is about allowing God to search the most secretive rooms of our heart and saying “God clean the mirror” so I can reflect your glory and become the person you created me to be. Once you Reach In, you can Reach Out to others.

Reaching Out is a result of Reaching Up and Reaching In. Reaching Out is about the harvest. The harvest is a lost and dying world as a result of sin. Jesus said “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." Matthew 9:37 The natural progression of Reaching up – Reaching In – is Reaching out to others so that they may know the same love that is evident in our lives. It is finally summed up in a simple command given by Jesus to the disciples. “Go and make disciples of all the nations,[a] baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” And that is exactly what we are commanded to do “Make disciples!”