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To Heaven I Cast My Gaze

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Description

The Bible is filled with the imagery of mountains or hills as special places devoted to seeking and worshiping God. Often called "high places," (first mentioned in Genesis 12:6–8) they have filled man with wonder and a sense of the nearness of God from ancient times. Before Moses' death in Deuteronomy 34, God takes him up onto Mount Nebo and shows him the land promised to his people. In Deut 34:5, God says to Moses, "This is the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, 'I will give it to your offspring. I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not go over there." The promised land represents God's country (the place where God dwells) or "heaven;" thus it is a fitting picture for our own experiene of heaven. Now that Jesus has come and "dwelt among us" (John 1:14) - meaning that he is now our meeting place with God - we "see" the promised land through fellowship with Him. When the Samaritan woman asked Jesus which mountain was the acceptable place to worship on, He responded "the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father" (John 4:21) Jesus was referring to worship becoming a spiritual reality which could take place at any time and in any place through Him.

While we experience a glimpse of the promised land every time we enjoy our union with Jesus, until we actually arrive at that land we are just like Moses - able to see it but not enter it. But that glimpse of glory should strengthen and sustain us, reminding us of the certainty and overwhelming beauty of that promised dwelling place. As the song says "one look at this, the journey's end, will strengthen feeble knees." But the struggle of the Christian life is that we often take our spiritual eyes off of the "things that are above" (Colossians 3:2) and become distracted by the difficulties of our present reality. So let us sing our way to heaven, casting the gaze of our hearts resolutely to the promised land, that we might be strengthened by Jesus himself to make the difficult journey which lies ahead.

Lyrics

Verse 1:
I've climbed the mountain, I've scaled its height,
I've seen the lands that lie ahead-
Where endless day has banished night
And death may never tread.
There weary pilgrims find a home
Of endless joy and rest
And all shall gather 'round the throne,
The Son of God to bless.

Chorus:
Heaven, heaven
To heaven I cast my gaze.
Heaven, yes heaven
Will lead through stormy days.

Verse 2:
One look at this, the journey's end,
Will strengthen feeble knees,
Deliver from discouragement
And bring a fearless peace.
Though I have seen this paradise,
I often look behind,
To present pain and darkened skies,
That capture heart and mind.

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