What is your Weltanschauung? You have one even if you don’t know what the word means. It’s a rich German word, one that sinks in your brain and rolls around on the tongue and is fun to repeat, that literally means world view when translated into English. It refers to how we see the world, though the concept is more complex. It is defined as: “a comprehensive conception or apprehension of the world especially from a specific standpoint”. It’s the framework that shapes how we see this world. It varies from person to person, and may be very complex or quite simple, but we all have one.

For those folk whose worldview is purely physical and naturalistic life is lived “under the sun” (Ecclesiastes) and is focused on the here and now. It’s a “what’s in it for me” mindset that oddly enough is expressed in many religious bodies (even so called Christian groups) as well as in the atheistic culture that dominates the American academic, entertainment and political circles. Like the children of Ahab they worship themselves and this world is their Baal. Both the gospel of social justice and the gospel of health, wealth, and prosperity are part of that “under the sun” world view.

The “above the sun” world view is in constant conflict with the naturalistic because the latter hates the former (John 15:18) and every attempt to compromise ends up stuck “under the sun” (John 15:19). Trusting God in the face of the seemingly overwhelming power of this world can be difficult, but it’s not impossible. Jehoshaphat, who ruled Judah during the days when Ahab and his sons ruled in Israel, showed us how. Ahab and his boys were thoroughly under the sun men. In sharp contrast Jehoshaphat approached life with an “above the sun” worldview.

When a vast coalition of armies formed to attack Judah he went to God for help instead of calling on his ally Ahab. He went to the temple with all the people and called on God with these words:

“O LORD, the God of our fathers, are You not God in the heavens? And are You not ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in Your hand so that no one can stand against You” (2 Chronicles 20:6).

Then, after listing God’s previous accomplishments, he placed their situation before God and concluded with:

“O our God, will You not judge them? For we are powerless before this great multitude who are coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You.” (2 Chronicles 20:12).

Jehoshaphat’s view rose above this world to the God of heaven, and that God came to save them. So, what’s your world view? Is it stuck here beneath the fading sun or lifted up to the eternal Son, who came to save you?